DeSoto ISD introduces web-based software to weed out predators

by Daphne Brown of DeSoto TODAY

DeSoto Assistant Superintendent Sharon Price briefed school board members on a national plan to keep sexual predators from entering DeSoto campuses.

The district is teaming with Raptor Technologies, a web-based visitor registration software with the ability to instantaneously screen visitors against registered sex offender lists in 49 states.

“This allows us to be state-of-the-art in identifying people who come onto our campuses,” interim DeSoto School Superintendent Lloyd Treadwell said.

Starting with this school year, visitors to DeSoto elementary and middle school campuses checking in with front-office personnel must present their driver's license or some other form of identification with their name, photo and birth date for processing. Within seconds, the identification is read and checked against a national database of registered sex offenders, complete with photos when available, Price said.

The system prints out a temporary paper badge, with that day's date, that the visitor will wear while on the campus. Price said the system also checks for restraining orders dealing with domestic situations.

“Every child will know this is a safe person,” Price said.

Total cost was $19,860.75 for scanners, printers and software for 13 campuses or $1,527.75 per campus. Annual costs will be $432 per campus.

“For $1 a day per campus, it's a pretty safe thing to have in place,” she said. “In any given zip code there are a number of registered sex offenders.”

The technology will enable school principals to track their volunteer and mentor visiting hours, as well as monitor the amount and type of traffic on their campuses each day, she added. Visitors will turn in the temporary badge upon exiting the building, Price said.

“Unfortunately in today's time having to check against sexual predators is necessary,” Price said.

DeSoto police Lt. Larry Walker, in charge of the district's five school resource officers, said the information Raptor is capable of checking is limited to sex-offender notification and restraining orders. Nothing like warrants will be checked, but the sex offender information, which is public information, is available to those administering the program.

Price said this takes responsibility off of front-office personnel as well as encourages another level of security for parents and teachers in the district that students are safe. Price pointed out that criminal background checks are conducted on all district employees and any volunteer who has one-on-one, such as mentors, or group contact, such as after-school caregivers, with students.

“They have to sign and give permission to run the checks,” Price said.

One of the board members asked about scenarios in which a parent, for instance, comes up to the school without identification.

“There should be no instance in which a person without identification is allowed on the campuses,” Walker said.

The Midlothian, Mansfield, Mesquite and Garland school districts are among some 200 Texas school districts that have implemented the technology in their districts.

As of the first day of school, Price said the school campuses were operational despite being bombarded with parents still registering their children for classes.

Additional information about Raptor Technologies, based in Houston, is available online at raptorware.com.