Utah State Legislature funds ZeroEyes and AEGIX for all K-12 public schools

PHILADELPHIA and SALT LAKE CITY – ZeroEyes, the creator of an AI-based gun detection video analytics platform, and AEGIX Global, a provider of critical incident management services, have announced that the Utah State Board of Education has approved a contract to provide the joint solution for all Utah public K-12 schools, including charter schools.

Efforts began in the 2023 Utah legislative session and culminated with the passage of House Bill 61. ZeroEyes’ platform was selected as the vendor to supply firearm detection, marking the first time a state has codified this capability into statute. AEGIX Global was contracted by ZeroEyes as the authorized reseller in Utah and the AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management) platform will be provided as part of the overall solution.

Security Systems News (SSN) originally reported on the partnership between AEGIX and ZeroEyes in May 2023 as they worked to educate policymakers in Utah on the benefits of the platform, and a solution they said was uniquely built for Utah public schools.

“In the face of increasing gun-related violence in US schools, it is crucial that Utah districts invest in proactive technology solutions that provide threat detection, situational awareness, and incident management and response,” Michael Morgan, chief of police of Nephi City, Utah, said at the time. “Our most important job is to keep our students, faculty and communities safe, so we must leverage the strongest and most effective tools available.”

ZeroEyes and the AEGIX AIM platform are integrated to create a multi-layered security solution for threat detection, situational awareness, incident management and response. ZeroEyes said its ability to detect visible guns with human-in-the-loop verification, combined with AEGIX AIM’s interactive map capabilities, provides key situational awareness for law enforcement to respond to incidents or threats quickly and efficiently.

“We strongly encourage all parents concerned about school safety to urge their local officials to apply for this grant in line with Utah State Board of Education guidance,” said Chet Linton, CEO of AEGIX. "This is an opportunity for Utah Public Schools to proactively address the gun-related violence epidemic and protect their communities. ZeroEyes and AEGIX AIM provide clarity to law enforcement when they respond to firearm incidents at schools, helping to save time and save lives.”

The AEGIX AIM platform allows individuals in an organization such as a school to notify others of a crisis with the touch of a button. In a worst-case scenario, such as an active shooter event, teachers can push a button in the app to let administrators and first responders know if they are “safe” or “unsafe.” AEGIX AIM can be operated from a desktop, laptop or smartphone.

ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software is layered on existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans.

“We are grateful to the Utah legislature for allocating funds to safeguard the students and staff in their public school system,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. "We encourage more state legislatures to adopt the proactive mindset of Utah policymakers and provide funding to their respective school districts for our unique and highly differentiated capability.”

Utah local education agencies can learn more about the grant, its requirements and how to apply by contacting the Utah State Board of Education and should anticipate forthcoming guidance.