PORT ARANSAS, Texas — Port Aransas Independent School District has implemented artificial intelligence gun detection technology as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance campus safety and security.
The district partnered with ZeroEyes, a company that uses AI technology in security cameras to identify weapons on or around school campuses. The service was founded in 2018 following the Parkland school shooting that claimed 17 lives.
"Every second counts," said Officer Brett Boyer, the school resource officer for Port Aransas ISD and father of four children who attend school in the district.
Boyer said the technology provides crucial early warning capabilities that can make a significant difference in emergency response.
"It gives me a couple extra seconds to address and/or respond to threats," Boyer said.
The ZeroEyes system works by using AI technology integrated with existing security cameras to detect firearms. When a weapon is identified, the ZeroEyes team immediately verifies the threat from one of their monitoring centers. After confirmation, they alert school officials and local law enforcement to enable rapid response.
Dr. Sharon McKinney, superintendent of Port Aransas ISD, emphasized the district's proactive approach to safety.
"It's protecting that environment and that culture we have here of being prepared not paranoid," McKinney said.
ZeroEyes co-founder Sam Alaimo shared an example of the system's effectiveness at a Texas elementary school that requested anonymity. In that incident, three individuals approached the campus and removed an AK-47 from a bag while attempting to enter the building.
"Three individuals walked up outside, pulled an AK-47 out of a bag, and tried to get in. Fortunately this school had the double doors locked and not propped open to get airflow like other schools do," Alaimo said. "When I show you that AK-47 image I cannot say we stopped a mass shooting by virtue of it not happening. I can never prove it."
When asked whether the technology could have prevented the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, Alaimo acknowledged the limitations while highlighting the system's track record.
"I can't explicitly answer and say yes we would've stopped it, but I can say on a weekly basis we pick up guns long before they're fired in very similar situations," Alaimo said.
School officials acknowledge that AI gun detection is not a complete solution but represents progress in school safety measures.
Boyer explained how the technology enhances his ability to respond to potential threats across the campus.
"It gives me a more precise area of where the situation is coming from. If I'm on one side of the building and something happens on the other end of the building I'll never know it until the inevitable. This system tells me almost instantaneous," Boyer said.
The implementation comes as school districts nationwide continue seeking innovative approaches to campus security in response to ongoing concerns about school safety.
Port Aransas ISD officials say the technology is already being implemented and should be operational in the next three months.
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