PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - Peoria Public Schools will buy metal detectors using artificial intelligence to find weapons after the school board gave its blessing Monday night.

The district is buying eight CEIA OpenGate AI Weapons Detection systems for $173,650, paid for with grant money. The freestanding pillars will be used at the district’s three high schools: Peoria, Manual, and Richwoods.

The board took the action without discussion, and it was part of the consent agenda of several items that were unanimously approved.

Until now, the idea of metal detectors was controversial, with the board voting against renting an X-ray system and other equipment from Evolv for $121,000 a year.

The CEIA OpenGate system uses a pair of freestanding pillars. (Howard Packowitz | CEIA OpenGate/You

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