INDIANAPOLIS — An Indy security company is working with IMPD to roll out a new gun detection program that uses artificial intelligence.
At the moment, the focus is on IMPD’s northwest region, but they hope to use it citywide.
“This is like Neighborhood Watch 2.0,” said Watchman Security CEO Austin Smith.
However, rather than patrolling the streets, neighborhood watchers will sit in so-called neighborhood command centers. There, employees will monitor footage from hundreds of cameras.
Smith calls this the “OneWatch” program.
“This allows us to detect things before an incident occurs,” Smith explained.
The center will use an artificial intelligence program known as ZeroEyes to detect guns within seconds of being brandished. A human observer determines if it’s a threat and dispatches police to the scene.
This program applies software to existing surveillance cameras. AI software detects the firearm and alerts the command center. If it’s a threat, building security and local law enforcement will be alerted.
“There’s nothing wrong with asking for a little more help. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little more resources, and that’s what this is,” Smith said. “This is just another resource to support what is already being done.”
The system also has built-in protections to prevent false alarms. Each alert and image goes through three validation steps.
“We have the AI, we have the human verification, and we also have the center verify it, and then we pass that on to IMPD,” Smith explained.
Smith said his company already monitors more than 600 cameras across the city’s northwest side. The hope is to test it and then spread it across the city.
The program will come with a cost, which Smith said has not yet been determined. However, he said there will be affordable plans for those who need them.
Find detailed information about the program here.