Bay County Scanner Feed

(03/18/19) - If you're going to any Bay City Public Schools building in the near-future don't forget your driver's license or other state-issued identification. The district is beginning to use the Raptor visitor management system. On your first visit the computer system will scan your driver's license. "The only thing it's taking from the driver's license is your first name, middle name, last name, and date of birth. No other information," said Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Bigelow. The Raptor system is designed to search the sex offender registry. The district bought it using a grant from the Michigan State Police. "The reason it pulls that information is then it searches the database to make sure, 'is this somebody we're able to allow into the school and can be working with kids," Bigelow explained. A background check is already part of the process for anyone who wants to volunteer in the district. The Raptor system speeds up the process from days or weeks, to seconds. "That volunteer process is a long process, involves you know filling out the paperwork, waiting to hear back from the school. It goes to the Michigan State Police check, we do that anyhow," Bigelow said. Contractors or anyone else who moves beyond the main office will need to go through the process. After the first visit using the system, a visitor can check themselves in without the help of the office staff. Raptor will not be used at sporting events or other after-school activities. It has other features too. For example, someone in the main office can hit a button and alert others they need help. Staff can also use it to check in and out of a building. Bottom-line, it's designed to help make the district's 13 schools safer. "When chaos ensues and you need to find out exactly who's where, this is the best way for us to do it. I can go from my cellphone in any location, pull up every school and see exactly who's there and what kind of help they need," Bigelow said. Right now the schools are getting used to the system. The program will officially be in use on Monday, April 8. The remainder of the $500,000 grant from the Michigan State Police will be used on other security upgrades.