Unloaded from a small white truck early Tuesday morning was a giant black box labeled ‘evolv’ in bold green. Inside, were metal detectors—rather, they looked like metal detectors—from Evolv Technology, a human security company founded in 2013 following the Sandy Hook incident and other mass-casualty tragedies. Ten years later, in the wake of today’s evolving world, the technology is used in stadiums, arenas, theme parks, hospitals, schools—and has now landed in the front gates of Pembroke Pines Charter High School.

What to expect starting Wednesday 

The high school collaborated with Evolv Technology to participate in a three-day pilot program, according to an email from Ms. Torres. Beginning Wednesday, October 25th, through Friday, October 27th, students entering at the bus loop will walk through the devices. 

“Tomorrow, we will start with just the middle school students because there are fewer students. We will increase the traffic for Thursday and Friday,” said Principal Bayer.

How does Evolv work?

Unlike traditional metal detectors, Evolv Express (the device’s specific name) uses advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence to differentiate between weapons and everyday items, allowing students to keep things such as car keys and wallets on them as they enter the school. The device works to create safer places, all while keeping the experience “touchless” and “frictionless.”

Mr. Bayer is aware of making the school feel like a school. “You need to make it feel safe, but you can’t make it feel like a prison,” he said. “We’ll set something up for privacy, so if ‘Hey, do you have something in your pocket?’, we won’t take you in front of the whole school and pat you down.” 

“That’s why I don’t call it a metal detector, and that’s why it’s not going to be like TSA where you’re unloading your stuff and police officers [are] there watching you; it’s not going to be like that.”

So who will be watching us? “[The] same people that already do the gates,” Bayer said. 

Where did the decision come from?

Ultimately, the city decided to implement Evolv Technology. “When Broward Schools considered the clear backpacks last year, they also considered screening formats,” explained Principal Bayer. “The city owns this facility … there may be grants for safety and security, but the school didn’t budget for this.” 

“I don’t know what the cost is yet, and we have a large campus where we would need multiple locations,” Bayer said. “It would have to be [by the gate between the football field and cafeteria] and we’ll probably need them in the main offices for visitors that aren’t students.”

“So, we’ll run it for three days. If it’s something that they want to do next year, we would purchase them and start installing them at their locations.”

Measuring Success

Evolv Technology emphasizes that the system is designed to detect weapons and components of weapons that could cause harm, not items regularly found within schools. 

So, “[Accuracy] is one of the things we’re testing,” Bayer said.

“Success would be you guys not even noticing anything, not even feeling anything, just walking in and feeling safer,” said Mr. Capiro, an administrator here at the high school who sometimes monitors the gates in the mornings.

“[When] you go to the airport, you don’t want to get on an airplane and the guy next to you has a gun or knife on them, so I assume that the people who are manning the [airport] gates are doing their job so that I’m safe. Am I checking on what they’re doing? No, but [I’m] assuming that they’re trained and everything, plus the machines that they’re using,” he said.

Starting Wednesday, “It should not feel much different than entering Disney,” Bayer hopes.