Indiana schools have requested more than 3,200 hand-held metal detectors under a state program aimed at improving school safety that offers the devices for free.
Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the program in early July, after a student opened fire at an Indianapolis-area middle school in May, wounding his teacher and another student.
The governor’s office said in a statement that 369 schools, including 94 percent of the state’s public schools, have requested 3,228 wands. The program will provide one hand-held metal detector for every 250 students.
The metal detectors are slated to arrive in August. The schools that didn’t place an order will be able to do so this fall.
State officials also hope to boost safety through a grant program to fund other security improvements at schools.
The area schools expected to receive them before the start of the school year include Penn-Harris-Madison, South Bend, Mishawaka, Goshen, John Glenn, Plymouth, LaPorte, Bremen, and Middlebury.
