SALINAS — Starting with Friday night’s match between Seaside High and North Salinas High at Rabobank Stadium, the Salinas Union High School District will be using metal detectors to screen spectators at home football games through the rest of the season.
The policy applies to all five of Salinas Union’s high school campuses: Alisal High School, Everett Alvarez High School, North Salinas High School, Rancho San Juan High School and Salinas High School.
Reached by phone Friday afternoon, Salinas Union Superintendent Dan Burns said bringing in metal detectors to football games as an added precaution is something the district has been talking about for more than a year.
“It’s not a knee-jerk reaction,” he said. “We’ve done the assessment and looked at the way we can keep people safe at our events. … These kinds of protocols just seem to be in line with what high schools are starting to implement at these venues.”
In a statement announcing the change Thursday, Burns explained that the tightened security measures come in response to an uptick in negative incidents at high school sporting events locally and across the country.
“In all our learning and competition settings, the safety and security of our students, staff and community are of the utmost importance,” Burns said in the statement. “Over the years, we have been proactive in implementing safety measures at athletic contests to ensure that the focus of the events remains positive athletic competition.”
Last month, a series of incidents at Hollister High School in San Benito County during a football game against Salinas High prompted local authorities to step in and later, campus leaders to issue new policies for football game spectators.
During the Sept. 23 game, deputies from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office arrested four individuals, including three juveniles. Authorities responded to two fights that broke out, one of which involved a knife. Deputies were also threatened and challenged at the game.
Hollister High responded with updated expectations for the campus community. Effective this week, the school is using metal detectors to screen fans, as well as implementing a no-bag rule and allowing only students from Hollister High and the visiting team’s school to attend matches (any others have to apply for a guest pass). Entrance to the school’s homecoming dance this weekend will likewise require metal detector screening.
Last week, King City High School said it would begin using metal detector wands at home football games, also citing recent events.
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, asked about securing school sporting events, assured that “safety is always a priority for MPUSD.”
“In addition to a site administrator in charge at every event, for large athletic events such as home football games we contract out with security companies, provide extra work hours to on-site security staff, and coordinate with local law enforcement so they are aware of events to provide additional support as needed,” the district wrote in a statement to The Herald Friday, adding that it has not had any incidents during this school year so far.
Apart from added metal detectors, Salinas Union is maintaining security measures already in place for football games such as checking adult bags upon entrance, checking student IDs and removing spectators that are causing any disruption.
The district is asking spectators to plan ahead and get to games early to accommodate for tightened access.
