Omnilert Gun Detect is the only solution that spans visual gun detection, human verification, activation of safety systems, and notification to those in harm’s way
LEESBURG, VA – October 5, 2023 – Omnilert, a leader in active shooter and emergency notification solutions, today announced that Baltimore County Public Schools will be integrating its Omnilert Gun Detect platform with 7,000 cameras district-wide, representing the largest deployment of AI visual gun detection in the U.S. to date. As the industry’s only active shooter solution to feature proven emergency notification system (ENS) capabilities, Omnilert Gun Detect can provide 24/7 monitoring with a near-instant response at the first sight of a gun to ensure the best possible outcomes in the event of an active shooter or act of gun violence.
The Baltimore County School District is home to more than 111,094 students in pre-K to 12th grade and over 21,000 staff members. Tasked with the responsibility to keep students and staff safe in its more than 176 schools and programs, the district will be installing Omnilert Gun Detect with its existing cameras both inside and outside its buildings. In seconds, this AI-powered gun detection solution can identify gun threats, verify detections, and initiate a series of automated responses such as lock doors, notify police and send alerts.
“We are pleased to have this new weapons detection system as part of our comprehensive approach to enhance school safety,” said Dr. Myriam Rogers, Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools. “Omnilert will be deployed in all BCPS schools this school year and we look forward to this new partnership as well as our continued work with local law enforcement to keep our students and staff safe and respond quickly and strategically when there is a serious incident in our schools.”
“Schools around the country are learning that it’s not enough to just detect and verify an active shooter, but rather it’s the automated response and mass communications that ultimately determines whether lives are lost or saved,” said Dave Fraser, CEO of Omnilert. "With a 20-year track record in emergency communications, we are proud to be the only AI visual gun detection company that can offer a complete solution and we look forward to helping Baltimore County Public Schools leverage our platform to keep its students and staff safe. This is the largest deployment of AI visual gun detection and the district should be commended on setting this strong example for other schools and organizations around the country to follow.”
Why Monitoring is Needed Both Inside and Outside Schools
Ensuring that both interior and exterior cameras at each campus are equipped with Omnilert Gun Detect is key for keeping Baltimore County Public Schools safe from active shooters and gun violence. In fact, the K-12 School Shooting database recently published research showing that 70% of school shootings happen in the exteriors of schools, which is why it’s so important to have a multi-layered security strategy that proactively monitors activity on the grounds surrounding the school, as well indoors.
How AI Visual Gun Detection Works
Omnilert Gun Detect is a platform with advanced AI software that detects handguns and long guns in a vast array of environments. Once a gun is detected, it sends an alert to a designated person or team that could be either Omnilert Monitoring, the school’s own security operations team, a third-party monitoring service or a combination of those to verify detections. When a threat is confirmed, Omnilert Gun Detect triggers an alert that sets the security team and police into action, along with prescribed response scenarios that can protect those in harm’s way. This solution gives emergency response teams advance warning before shots are fired and delivers precise information on the location with a photo and video of the potential shooter. The platform was also designed with privacy concerns in mind as there is no use of facial recognition on subjects being monitored and the video feeds never leave the school premises.
Omnilert Gun Detect is unmatched in the industry in terms of features and flexibility. The software offers the broadest number of integrations from VMS to ENS to access control to quickly put schools into a lockdown to help save lives. In addition, for schools that choose to use Omnilert Monitoring, they gain access to a professionally trained staff with law enforcement, medical and military backgrounds.