The Charleroi School District serves the community of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, with a mission to provide high-quality education in a safe, supportive environment. Keeping prohibited and potentially dangerous items out of schools requires security teams to have screening tools they can use confidently and consistently every day. After having another name-brand X-ray at its entrance for a short period of time, the Charleroi School District decided to upgrade its security measures and purchase three of Autoclear’s 6040DVS X-ray units.
For schools considering ways to strengthen their security screening process, Eric Bess, a security guard at Charleroi, says that X-ray inspection can provide an extra layer of visibility
and consistency at entry points. After working for two years at the district, Bess has noticed a drastic change in the reduction of prohibited items entering the school since the Autoclear units were installed in 2025. He stated, “We were able to identify vapes, potential threats, and other paraphernalia.” Common items scanned ritually through the two main entrances to the school include: back packs, keys, and chrome books. The Charleroi Middle School/ High School greets an average of 750 students each morning, so a quick throughput is important.
For Bess and the rest of the security team that operates the X-ray systems on a daily basis, ease of use is especially important in a school environment, where security personnel need to carry out screening consistently as part of their responsibilities. Bess described the 6040DVS units as extremely easy to operate and gave a rating of 10 out of 10 when asked about the units’ effectiveness.
- Easy-to-Operate X-Ray Screening Systems
- Improved Identification of Prohibited Items
- Operator Confidence Supported by Training
Based on Feedback From Eric Bess Security Guard, Charleroi School District
Building Operator Confidence Through Training
All members of the security staff received formal training when the systems were installed. According to Bess, the training has helped the security team feel confident in its ability to review X-ray images and identify suspicious items during the screening process.
Positive Feedback from the Security Team
Bess also expressed strong support for the use of similar screening systems in other schools. “Yes, I believe every school should have them. With the way the world is, we can’t always trust people will do the right thing.”For Charleroi, the combination of daily X-ray screening, trained security personnel, and easy-to-operate equipment has become an important part of its approach to maintaining a safer school environment.
About the Autoclear 6040DVS
The Autoclear 6040DVS is designed to support security screening applications where reliable inspection of bags and personal belongings is required. Its X-ray imaging capabilities help trained operators examine screened items and identify objects that may require additional inspection.
About Autoclear
Autoclear designs and manufactures advanced X-ray inspection and trace detection systems for security applications worldwide, delivering reliable solutions for schools, government facilities, and commercial venues.
