Pickens County school district moves quickly to enhance security

PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Schools in Pickens County are moving to enhance security just days after a Gordo High School student was caught with a loaded pistol on school grounds.

Effective immediately, all 7 county schools will see additional metal detectors and security personnel, according to superintendent Shawn McDaniel.

“A lot of new things coming,” said McDaniel. “We want people to have peace of mind when people come to Pickens County.”

McDaniel says he had no choice but to immediately improve school security with the purchase of 7 new metal detectors and request additional personnel from law enforcement.

“We will be limiting entrances to schools for guest visitors as well as students to come in and out of the schools,” said McDaniel.

“We gotta do what we gotta do to protect our kids,” Pickens County Sheriff Jordan Powell added.

Sheriff Jordan Powell says they’ve already changed their security presence.

“Currently, we have SRO officers, but here lately we’ve been putting more deputies in and around the schools especially with the metal detectors put in place,” said Sheriff Powell.

“It became very real to us,” said McDaniel.

Superintendent McDaniel realized they can no longer assume trouble won’t find rural Pickens County, tucked away in west Alabama; a loaded gun inside a school. It all became crystal clear for the new superintendent less than two months on the job.

“It became very real to us we have a job to do to protect our students and safety is a top priority,” said McDaniel.

Superintendent McDaniel says the 7 new metal detectors will cost around $2,800. That will bring the total to 14 in the school district.

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