New York City unveils new school safety system at P.S. 28 in Corona, Queens
NEW YORK -- A spate of violent incidents around city schools has prompted officials to embark on a new multi-million-dollar security program that will allow entrances to all facilities to be locked during the day to keep out intruders.
CBS2 got a first-hand look at the system on Thursday.
Marcia Kramer pressed the button on the system installed at Public School 28 in Corona, Queens.
"It's Marcia Kramer from CBS. I'm wondering if I can come into the school," Kramer said.
A security agent said yes and invited her in.
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And there it was, a prototype of a new $78 million security system education officials have just been given the green light to install at some 1,300 schools. P.S. 28 was chosen for a pilot program because last fall Principal Robert Quintana had to subdue a mentally ill intruder who walked into the school.
"It was very scary. I can say that I had no idea if he had a gun. I had no idea if he had a knife," Quintana said. "That's why these locks are important, because we need to be able to make sure that our kids are safe."
Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks have made the ability to lock school entrances a major priority, especially in the wake of last year's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and a number of violent incidents near New York City school buildings.
Quintana, who has a video on the school website showing parents how to easily get into the building, told CBS2 the system has also proved useful in domestic violence cases.
"We have problem with orders of protection, where exes come here and they want to pick up their kids. They can't get in the building anymore," Quintana said.
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Mark Rampersant is chief of the chancellor's Office of Safety and Prevention Partnerships.
"We are really looking at ways by which we can insure that we are putting the best levels of safety and security in our schools and this is just one layer of that safety," Rampersant said, adding when asked what the message is for parents, "Is that you entrust your children to us to keep safe and we are doing everything that we can in our school system to insure the safety for not only you, but your children as well."
Some parents are not convinced the system is necessary.
"I'm just wondering if this is the best place to be spending the money right now when the violence seems to be happening with fights inside the schools," said Natalya Murakhver of the Upper West Side.
Officials say it will take about a year to install the security system in every school, adding the system will not be used to prevent parents from visiting the school to talk to school leaders. The entrances will be open for school arrivals and dismissals.
