So far, most school districts do not have metal detectors.

MARTIN COUNTY, Florida. There are 67 school districts in Florida. Some counties, such as Martin County, do not have metal detectors in schools, but talk about their use continues.

This school year, Broward County schools implemented a metal detector walk program. They conduct randomized checks with hand-held metal detectors.

So far, 468 prohibited items have been removed from 141 randomly selected schools.

Among the weapons found were stun guns, knives, brass knuckles, and an airsoft gun. However, the most common items found were prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vape pens and pepper spray.

WPTV found that most of the school districts that responded to WPTV did not have any metal detectors so far.

WPTV called Martin County Sheriff William Snyder and asked for his law enforcement opinion on why school districts are not using metal detectors on students and school staff right now.

“It’s starting to evoke images of the TSA, where even the pilots, the flight attendants, the staff go through it. There really is no end to what you can do to keep yourself safe,” he said. “It’s something you can afford now that makes sense, which improves student safety without the kind of damage to the school process that everyone suffers.”

However, soon metal detectors may appear in Palm Beach County schools.

Miami-Dade County said schools do not have permanent metal detectors, but do have a random metal detection system.

In the Orlando area, Orange County schools said the same thing and added that spot checks could include portable walk-through detectors and metal detectors at all middle and high schools.

WPTV continues to reach out to school districts and plans to get a broader picture of how our schools feel about metal detectors.