To better ensure resident safety, the city of Hobbs, N.M., has deployed an artificial intelligence-based gun detection video analytics platform.
The platform, created by ZeroEyes, layers visual gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software within Hobbs’ existing digital security cameras.
The city explained that if an illegally brandished gun is identified, images will instantly be shared with a specialized group of U.S. military and law enforcement veterans at one of the ZeroEyes Operation Centers (ZOC) that are continuously staffed. The city said that experts at the ZOCs are trained to verify the threat and dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence – including visual description, gun type and last known location – to local staff and law enforcement as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from detection.
“We believe the implementation of ZeroEyes within the general public will help deter and reduce crimes involving firearms,” said Reanna Alarcon, public information and community relations officer, Hobbs Police Department. “We would like to thank the City of Hobbs for investing in this program and the additional protection for the citizens we serve.”
The ZeroEyes platform holds a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation. The city noted it deployed the platform after it was successfully used within the Hobbs Municipal School District for more than a year.
“Criminals have become increasingly emboldened over the past few years, and it needs to stop now,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “With ZeroEyes deployed throughout the city of Hobbs, law enforcement will receive not just an immediate warning any time a gun is illegally brandished, but actionable intelligence so they know exactly what kind of situation they are walking into. In active shooter scenarios, this kind of situational awareness can mean the difference between life and death.”
