HOUSTON -- It was supposed to be an easy day of show and tell for the Spring Branch Independent School District police chief Tuesday, but things soon turned tense, KPRC Local 2, Your Education Station, reported.

Chief Chuck Brawner cut the ceremonial red ribbon outside the new police command station at 9009 Ruland Road in northwest Houston.

He welcomed board members, staffers and cut the police blue cake just before there was a real emergency.

"Are we sure he's got a gun?" the chief calmly asked his command staff.

The communication and computer specialist quickly accessed video images of Memorial High School. Hedwig Village police reported a man with a gun near the campus.

Soon Memorial High and Spring Branch Middle schools went on full lockdown mode, which meant everyone stayed in place until they got the all-clear that the threat was over.

"We're watching four cameras right now," Brawner said as he watched the drama unfold during the open house. "Our computers can switch to the commons area and all the doors and watch what's happening at our campus."

Within seconds, Spring Branch ISD police coordinated with three other police agencies and radioed all school staff. Memorial High School has a few hundred cameras both inside and outside the large facility.

"We can tell them what's going on and watch their backs for them with our cameras," the chief said proudly. "We have a team of officers with special equipment that trains with Houston S.W.A.T., but it's our team and they're the first ones there if we have an incident."

The lockdown lasted less than 20 minutes and police caught one of two suspected burglars near the high school.

The day started with a break-in at Spring Forest Middle School and the new technology nabbed the man.

"We can digitally watch them walk through our building through the alarm sensors," said Brawner. He said the man would not come out so once they pinpointed him, a police dog was persuasive in forcing the suspect out of the building.

That man was one of the first to see the inside of the command station's new holding cells where cameras and microphones record their every move.

"We're not building buildings that are overboard. We are spending tax dollars the best we possible can," Spring Branch ISD Superintendent Duncan Klussmann said.

District voters passed a $597.1 million bond in November with a considerable amount dedicated to safety and security improvements.

The command station also serves as a training facility and an emergency operations center. One excited Spring Branch Schools community outreach staff member bragged that the police station's general assembly room even hosted a scrap-booking club.