Commentary - Be Forewarned

I consider a bowling alley an unexpected place for an active shooter incident as I did with the ballroom/dance hall shooting earlier in the year - during a Lunar New Year celebration. Gun violence by individual actors, who sometimes communicate their motives are random acts that are hard to understand or predict.

This uncertainty has resulted in unrest within schools, offices, churches, healthcare facilities, and entertainment venues - with owners and security teams looking to be ready for any situation that may occur.

For some of us, it is a national reality that we see on the news, but for others, it is an experience - and that threat is driving more organizations to actively take measures to give them some kind of intel about an active shooter.

THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

What can be done? The key is to employ AI to get advanced notice of an active shooter as they approach the facility with a gun drawn. With gun detection software layered into a security plan - there is an opportunity to receive advance notice. Depending on the camera's ability to 'see' the image with requisite pixels for identification - the software springs into action triggering an alarm or workflows that can range from notification to a security team to locking doors.

”With technology that is available now, there’s warning signs for gun detection that say there is a gun on premise.”

Commentary on CNN by Chris Grollnek, Active Shooter Prevention Project

At Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. we introduced REACT-Visible Weapon Detection (VWD) to provide that warning sign. It works with any camera that meets the pixel detection requirements.

I think that organizations are simply not aware that they can layer in a software solution that gives them those few precious sections to better handle how to react to the situation as Chris Grollnek notes in his CNN commentary.

THE NEW NORM

Does this mean that every business needs to automatically include VWD on their perimeter and entry cameras to take preventive measures? Just like seat belts, employing safety measures can save lives. To be forewarned can be priceless, especially with the random nature of the incidents.

Today, VWD is an option that an organization has to proactively add to its security program, and there does not seem to be a downside to having the technology. When we look at statistics from the National Safety Council, and National Highway Safety Administration for the value of wearing a seatbelt, they estimate since 1975, seat belts have saved 374,276 lives. And when unrestrained occupants were in an accident, 50.9% resulted in death.

I equate these sobering seat belt statistics to VWD. With AI-enhanced security cameras, the chance of detecting and providing valuable information to security teams and law enforcement could mean preventing an incident and reaching the bad actors before they flee.

FORWARNED IS FOREARMED

The technology exists. If we know about a situation in advance - we are better able to deal with it. We just need to layer the detection technology into our security systems now and not wait for something to happen to prompt our actions.