New Mexico Schools Raising the Bar for School Safety

As the summer draws to a close, schools everywhere have been contemplating safety measures before they open their doors and hallways for another year.

In New Mexico, the Portales and Clovis school districts are going into the new school year with some tangible measures, including a new system called Rave Panic. The system includes an app that teachers and administrators can access via their cellphones to dispatch law enforcement, fire or EMS with the push of a button.

For the Clovis Municipal School District, the system is part of a multimillion-dollar enhancement of its security technology network that includes adding more cameras with AI built in.

“We’ve added some artificial intelligence to our camera management,” said Jay Brady, deputy superintendent of operations, technology and athletics, in an interview with the Eastern New Mexico News. “We’ve added another 500 plus cameras to our surveillance system.”

The Portales District is contemplating adding some security measures that would help mitigate an active shooter incident. “We’re waiting for the new legislative appropriation for safety to come out. And when that comes out, we’re probably going to do some more fencing,” said Johnnie Cain, superintendent of Portales Municipal Schools, referring to planned fences around high school sports practice facilities. “We’re just waiting for the money to come.”

Cain said the district has had several threats this year and that they work closely with law enforcement.

Brady said the Clovis district is also looking at installing bulletproof film on windows once the appropriations are available. There will be also walk-through detectors at entrances during events for added security. “We’re doing what we can to keep the public safe and our kids safe,” he said.