SANFORD, Fla. – Rapid response is critical in the face of a mass shooting. Law enforcement agencies are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their life-saving capabilities.
Sheriff Dennis Lemma of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “There is never a scenario where there is an active campus with kids, teachers, faculty, and staff where a deadly threat becomes better with time.”
To expedite their emergency response efforts, Sheriff Dennis Lemma has embraced the assistance of ZeroEyes, a company specializing in AI technology.
ZeroEyes has developed AI software designed to identify firearms. By integrating this technology with existing security cameras in schools, participating institutions can swiftly detect weapons. Once a gun is recognized, the software promptly notifies ZeroEyes staff, who then inform local law enforcement and school authorities.
Sam Alimo, Co-Founder of ZeroEyes, highlighted the efficiency of the system, stating, “Should have an alert within 3–5 seconds. Every time that gun is seen in front of the camera that’s licensed for their software, they’ll get a drop on a map.”
Given that 68% of mass shootings in K-12 settings initially occur outdoors, early detection plays a crucial role in saving lives.
Alimo expressed the challenge of quantifying the preventive impact of their software, noting, “We can’t quantify how many mass shootings didn’t happen because of our software. That’s a good problem to have.”
ZeroEyes has been implemented in 40 states nationwide, with three school districts in Florida adopting the technology. Seminole County Sheriff’s Office led the way by launching a pilot program at Oviedo High School in 2021.
Acknowledging the prevalence of campus threats, Sheriff Lemma affirmed their commitment to expanding the safety initiative across all Seminole Public Schools campuses.
While the sheriff’s office refrained from disclosing specific locations for security reasons, Sheriff Lemma assured, “In the very near future, we’re going to have every single campus covered with this technology.”
Sheriff Lemma emphasized the importance of human verification in the process, highlighting that ZeroEyes employs a team predominantly comprising military veterans and law enforcement personnel for this purpose.
With over 150 employees, of which more than 80% have military or law enforcement backgrounds, ZeroEyes is dedicated to enhancing school safety measures.
Although the sheriff’s office did not provide a precise timeline for the full-scale implementation of the technology in all schools, their commitment to bolstering security remains unwavering.
