OGDEN — Schools in Utah are taking steps to enhance safety by installing gun-detection technology. This system is designed to help school officials identify weapons on campuses.
Rob Huberty, co-founder of ZeroEyes, a company based in Philadelphia, shared that they are expanding their presence in Utah schools. “We’re installing in more schools across the state every day,” he said.
The initiative to enhance safety follows the passage of a measure known as HB61 by the Utah Legislature in 2023, aimed at reducing risks of gun violence in schools and public spaces.
As of July, over 200 Utah schools had adopted ZeroEyes technology. This week, the Ogden School District informed parents about an upcoming testing phase for the system.
The notice explained that a ZeroEyes representative would be conducting a trial with an Airsoft rifle and pistol, ensuring visibility to the security cameras at selected schools. “This is only a controlled test to improve safety. There’s no reason to worry if you see this,” the notice assured.
Ogden School District spokesman Jer Bates mentioned that they plan to install this gun-detection tech. However, he could not provide extensive details due to state laws on school security protocols. “It’s our goal to add this technology in compliance with HB84,” Bates said.
ZeroEyes technology is already active in several Ogden schools. According to a press release from July, it has been set up in various school districts, including Cache County and Provo. Additionally, a partnership with AEGIX recently secured a $3 million contract to implement the software across Utah.
‘The right place at the right time’
This gun-detection system works with existing security cameras within schools. It analyzes video footage to spot visible firearms and sends alerts to ZeroEyes centers for review. “The gun must be visible – it can’t be hidden,” Huberty explained.
If a potential gun is detected, trained experts quickly verify the situation. If confirmed, they notify 911 and local school resource officers, allowing them to respond swiftly. This process typically takes just seconds to complete.
“A resource officer on-site could reach the location in about 30 to 60 seconds after receiving the alert,” Huberty shared. “They’ll have the right image and details to act accordingly.”
ZeroEyes technology is already operational in schools, malls, and healthcare facilities across 43 states. It has resulted in thousands of gun detections and over 30 arrests related to gun offenses. Though it hasn’t yet stopped an active shooter, it has identified some situations where individuals were misusing firearms.
The concept for ZeroEyes was born after the tragic Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, where the gunman’s weapon was visible on security footage before the incident. Huberty noted that no one was watching at that moment, which spurred the creation of their monitoring service. “We set out to watch for guns around the clock,” he said.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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