Michigan School District Installs New Gun-Detection Platform
Williamston Community Schools in Williamston, Mich., recently announced that it has installed the ZeroEyes gun-detection video analytics platform for its five schools, according to a news release. ZeroEyes is the only solution of its kind with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation and adds an AI gun-detection and intelligent situational awareness software layer into existing school security cameras.
The district has a student population of over 2,000 and consists of a preschool, two elementary schools, one elementary school, and one high school. The schools’ existing security measures include secure vestibules, school resource officers (SROs) with a full-time firearm detection dog team, and mental-health initiatives including the suicide-prevention program “Prevent to Protect,” the news release reports.
"ZeroEyes is an important layer of security that complements the efforts that have already been put in place in the district," said Williamston Community Schools Superintendent Adam Spina. "Our security layers combine to create a significantly safer school day for our students and staff."
Funding for the ZeroEyes installation came from Michigan Public Act 103 via a grant specifically for purchasing AI gun-detection software, the news release reports.
The ZeroEyes software sends images of suspected weapons to its operations center, staffed 24/7 by trained law enforcement and military veterans. The staff evaluates the threat and dispatches alerts—including a visual description, gun type, and most recent location—to local law enforcement in as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds after detection, according to the news release.
"The extensive security protocols and systems of Williamston Community Schools reflects the districts' commitment to keeping students and staff safe from gun-related violence," said ZeroEyes CEO and co-founder Mike Lahiff. "The support of Michigan's legislative grant program enabled us to provide proactive gun detection to a number of districts throughout the state. We encourage policymakers to expand the program in 2025 to help protect more schools."
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].