Florida Southwestern State College (FSW) has announced the use of new artificial intelligence technology to help prevent school threats.
"In the tradition of police work, it's always a reactive response. With new A.I. technology coming out, this is gives us an opportunity to be proactive before anybody is ever injured or shot have been fired," said Jerry Connolly, the Chief of Police at FSW.
All four Florida Southwestern State College campuses are now equipped with software from the Pennsylvania-based company ZeroEyes, which specializes in gun detection and shooting prevention.
"It's sad to see what's happening in America and why this is required in the first place, but, we're actually doing something about it. We're not waiting. We're not debating. We're not arguing. We're offering a solution for right now," said Sam Alaimo, the Co-Founder of ZeroEyes.
The technology works by utilizing the facility's already existing video surveillance system, and outsourcing view to a group of military veterans employed by ZeroEyes. The companies' team, alongside the artificial intelligence, monitors the feed for threats and can contact local law enforcement and campus police within seconds.
"We want to let you know there's a gun there before the shot is ever even fired. Somewhere between 62 and 68% of all mass shootings in schools happen outside before they happen inside. The majority have the gun exposed in front of a security camera before a shot is ever fired," added Alaimo.
The technology is already live across Southwest Florida, and officers have been trained in the system ahead of the new school year.