Security Systems Up Grade For Yakima Schools

Students were let out ten minutes early at Eisenhower High School a week ago over concerns of a gang threat.

New security systems are being installed at four schools to provide more protection and catch any trouble on tape.

Kristi Zeiger is a parent of Stanton Academy freshman. She thinks the system in a dangerous time.

"The gangs, it's scary," Zeiger said.

These high-tech systems will go in at Stanton Academy, Eisenhower High School, YV Technical School and Davis High School.

All schools will get new cameras and technology that provides the ability to lock down all doors with the press of a button.

"I'm all for it. (how does it make you feel?) Knowing that the security system is there is safe," Zeiger said.

She says she'll feel better about dropping her son off at school with the new equipment.

Students say they think there is gang activity on all high school campuses across the Yakima Valley, and that a new and improved security system will give them a better peace of mind while they're at school.

"There's gonna have more cameras so we can say the school is gonna' be safer. Kids aren't gonna' bring drugs or guns or a knife or something and endanger someone's life," said, Alma Robledo, Stanton Academy Junior.

More cameras will be the biggest change. Each school has about a dozen right now. Stanton alone will have 65 when the works is done this summer. Work at Davis starts in the Fall. The rest will be finished by 2013.

These new cameras will be in hallways, some classrooms and offices. But, not bathrooms. The district says only a handful of administrators will have access to the live images at any time.
All designed to put everyone at ease.

"Regardless of what goes on in the world around them, they know once they're on campus they consider this their safe zone. It allows them to learn and interact with everyone else and basically a general feeling of being safe," Gabe Villanueva, Stanton Academy Resource Officer.