Taylor schools first in county to launch comprehensive $1.7M Bluetooth lockdown system

Aug 23, 2023

The Taylor School District is the first in Wayne County to get on board with a Bluetooth safety alert lockdown system designed to secure students and staff from harm.

A unanimous vote by the Board of Education at Wednesday night's meeting paved the way for The LockOut Co. to bring its SmartBoot System into the district.

Installation is expected to begin over the summer, with all buildings in the district completed in the fall, officials said.

The Boot is a thick steel plate secured inside a SmartBox and has steel pins that fit inside a steel sleeve.

When the box is opened and the Boot is removed, the LockOut System is activated and a lockdown is initiated, triggering smart lights throughout the building and sending an instant alert to police.

The plate is secured inside drilled holes in the floor, making it exceptionally difficult to open the door in either direction. It is designed to withstand 16,000 pounds of pressure.

Since all boxes are connected via Bluetooth, each one is activated simultaneously and will provide a verbal alert of "lockdown."

That alerts the entire building that a situation has occurred and students and staff should immediately remove their Boots and lock down their rooms.

The system is controlled by a touch tablet and allows immediate communication between faculty, students and law enforcement.

It can let officials know if assistance is needed, if there is something of concern inside the building or if a full lockdown due to a dangerous threat is afoot.

Police can detect the exact location where the lockdown was initiated.

Rob Couturier, who designed the system, gave a final pitch to the Taylor school board and the community at the Wednesday meeting with the assistance of his daughter, Brennan Couturier.

Together they explained how the system is in compliance with all state requirements for lockdown drills and is endorsed by the Michigan Sheriff's Association.

The district will be working closely with the Taylor Police Department to ensure everyone is trained to use the system.

Police Chief John Blair has been involved in studying the product and presentations and it has his full support.

School Supt. Griff Mills said he was excited to bring the safety system before the public and is thrilled not only about its capability to shield students from harm, but also how it communicates important information to staff and the police.

There are a multitude of options utilizing the tablet.

Whether it's a threat inside the building, a medical emergency or a fight in the school, any staff member who needs assistance will have the ability to let everyone know within seconds.

Mills, who went looking for an emergency plan on the heels of the deadly Oxford High School shooting that claimed the lives of four students, said he was sold on the system after seeing how comprehensive it is and its ability to link everyone in on critical information.

"Every classroom in the district will have one and every office," Mills said. "Those are the things that drew it to me. We will treat all buildings as equally as we can."

Mills also was reassured by the feedback he received from Blair.

"He's a SWAT guy and he was equally impressed," Mills said.

The system comes with a $1.7 million price tag, which will come out of the district's general fund.

Mills said he understands that's a hefty expense for the school system, but stands firm in his belief that a price can't be put on safety.

The fear that swept through schools in Taylor, throughout the state and around the country after the Oxford shooting and others was enough to convince Mills that something more needed to be done.

"It brought safety back to the forefront," he said. "We see the fear it causes when we see a social media threat."

The Taylor school district has responded to at least a dozen school threats since the Oxford shooting and several arrests have been made.

Shootings and acts like the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have changed how people perceive their security, Mills said, and he believes putting this program in place will make the district as prepared as it can be.

While Taylor is taking the lead on this type of security in the county, he is open to helping other districts get on board.

"We want all kids to be safe," he said. "If other districts have questions, we are more than willing to share information."

The superintendent concluded the meeting saying, "What a night for Taylor schools."

That, in part, was due to finalizing the security plans that will unify the school community.

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