Utah State Legislature Funds Gun Detection Technology and Incident Management System in All Public K-12 Schools

  • January 22, 2024

ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, and AEGIX Global, a Utah-based provider of industry-leading critical incident management services, recently announced that the Utah State Board of Education has approved a contract to provide the joint solution for all Utah public K-12 schools, including charter schools.

This effort began in the 2023 Utah legislative session and culminated with the passage of House Bill 61, which identified requirements and standards for firearm detection analytics and authorized the Utah State Board of Education to select a qualified vendor. ZeroEyes' platform was ultimately selected, marking the first time a state has codified this capability into statute. AEGIX Global has been contracted by ZeroEyes as the authorized reseller in Utah and the AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management) platform will be provided as part of the overall solution.

ZeroEyes and the AEGIX AIM platform are integrated to create a multi-layered security solution for threat detection, situational awareness, incident management and response. ZeroEyes' ability to detect visible guns with human-in-the-loop verification, combined with AEGIX AIM's interactive map capabilities, provides key situational awareness for law enforcement to respond to incidents or threats quickly and efficiently.

"We strongly encourage all parents concerned about school safety to urge their local officials to apply for this grant in line with Utah State Board of Education guidance," said Chet Linton, CEO of AEGIX. "This is an opportunity for Utah Public Schools to proactively address the gun-related violence epidemic and protect their communities. ZeroEyes and AEGIX AIM provide clarity to law enforcement when they respond to firearm incidents at schools, helping to save time and save lives."

The AEGIX AIM platform cuts through the chaos to remove guesswork and delays, saving precious time in an emergency. The system allows individuals in an organization such as a school to notify others of a crisis with the touch of a button. In a worst-case scenario, such as an active shooter event, teachers simply push a button in the app to let administrators and first responders know if they are "safe" or "unsafe." AEGIX AIM can be operated from a desktop, laptop or smartphone.

ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software is layered on existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine that the threat is valid, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type, and last known location, to local law enforcement and the school security team in as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from detection.

"We are grateful to the Utah legislature for allocating funds to safeguard the students and staff in their public school system," said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. "We encourage more state legislatures to adopt the proactive mindset of Utah policymakers and provide funding to their respective school districts for our unique and highly-differentiated capability."

Utah local education agencies can learn more about the grant, its requirements and how to apply by contacting the Utah State Board of Education and should anticipate forthcoming guidance.

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