Active shooter situations are becoming increasingly common, with 142 school shootings in the United States since 2013. 21st Century State & Local talked to four active shooter solution providers to understand what technology is available to schools and colleges and the importance of deploying technology before there is an incident.
Chris Connors, CEO of Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), stressed the importance of having zero false alerts with shot detection technology. SDS’s solution, dubbed the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System, boasts zero false alerts during its more than 16 million hours of use across the world. “It’s a major event when the sensor goes off, and we have to be right every time,” Connors said.
COPsync911 uses teacher- and staff-driven school safety tools to help improve communication between law enforcement and schools and reduce law enforcement response times during a violent situation.
ShotPoint, from Databuoy, is happy to run in the background of existing security technologies, according to company president and founder Kathleen Griggs. The shot location technology is designed to run in the background of existing security solutions, making it easy to implement and deploy. In an interview with 21st Century State & Local, Griggs explained that her company’s patented sensor mesh approach sets it apart from competitors.
SST’s SecureCampus uses sensors, the cloud, and occasionally trained experts to detect gunshots and then notify the police.
First responders said they are both cautious and optimistic about introducing their departments to some of the latest first responder technology, which was demonstrated at a Department of Homeland Security-sponsored event March 1.
The 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit law enforcement vehicle will have technology that detects movement behind the vehicle through the use of its rear-facing camera and radar. The new technology is designed to help police avoid a dangerous ambush situation while in their vehicles.
In 2016, more than 130 police officers were killed in the line of duty in the United States, which is the highest number of fatalities on the job in five years. Every day police officers around the country put themselves in harm’s way; luckily new advancements in technology are helping to reduce deaths and injuries among police.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department in Indiana received permission to purchase a TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer. The device is able to test for 370 illicit substances without requiring police to open any packaging that may be around the suspected substance.
The Glendale Police Department in California is partnering with Project Lifesaver to help reunite missing individuals with their loved ones by using wearable tracking devices.
