Walla Walla hospital installs weapons detection system at Emergency Department
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Providence St. Mary Medical Center has installed an Evolv Express weapons detection screen system at the Emergency Department entrance to support the security of the hospital’s caregivers, patients and visitors.
The Emergency Department is the only hospital entrance that is accessible by the public 24 hours a day.
The weapons detection system was funded by a $150,000 federal grant.
Evolv uses AI to differentiate between everyday items such as keys and cell phones, and objects that may be weapons. It is designed to allow people to walk through it at a normal pace, just like they would walk through a doorway. Unlike screenings at airports, there is no need to wait in line, empty pockets, take off jackets or open bags – so it does not create delays for people entering the Emergency Department.
Providence St. Mary Medical Center prohibits people from bringing firearms and knives into the hospital. This newly installed system will further reinforce this restriction and will be staffed by hospital security officers 24/7. If Evolv detects something of concern, it sends a silent alert to the security officer who will then use a hand wand to discern the nature of the item.
“We want everyone in the hospital to feel safe and cared for,” Security Department Manager Mike Smith said. “This new technology and the many other safety aspects we have in place will help us achieve that.”
Photo courtesy Providence St. Mary Medical Center of Ron Aichele, facilities manager, walking through the new system to test it.
