Yesterday, Gov. Holcomb reported that 3,228 total handheld metal detectors have been requested by 369 school entities—including 94 percent of all traditional public school corporations. On July 9, the governor announced that the state would make the metal detectors available at no cost to traditional public, charter and private schools that request them. This program is one part of comprehensive approach by the state to bolster its school safety efforts. The program makes available one handheld metal detector for every 250 students in a school building. The 3,228 devices requested in this first round have been ordered and should arrive to schools in August. Schools that are interested but did not place an order will have another opportunity later this fall. Gov. Holcomb convened a school safety taskforce in April to develop recommendations for action in advance of the 2019 legislative session. Those recommendations are due in August.