PHILADELPHIA, PA — ZeroEyes has deployed its artificial intelligence-based firearm detection system across a rural Kansas school district, using state grant funding to expand school security measures designed to identify visible weapons and accelerate emergency responses.
The Philadelphia-based security technology company said Elkhart USD 218, which serves approximately 325 students and employs 55 staff members across three school buildings, has implemented its detection software as part of a broader security modernization effort.
The deployment was financed through the Kansas Safe and Secure Firearm Detection Grant Program, administered by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.
The district is also installing a new camera system and upgrading electronic card-reader access controls, combining physical security improvements with automated firearm detection.
ZeroEyes’ software integrates with digital security cameras to identify visible firearms. When the system detects a potential weapon, images are transmitted to the company’s operations center for human review.
The ZeroEyes Operations Center operates around the clock and is staffed by personnel with military and law enforcement backgrounds.
If reviewers confirm a potential threat, the company sends alerts to law enforcement and school security personnel, including a description of the individual, the type of weapon and its last known location.
ZeroEyes maintains that the process can deliver alerts within seconds of detection, potentially giving emergency responders additional information before arriving at a school.
The technology is designed to supplement existing security procedures rather than replace physical access controls or emergency response personnel.
Elkhart USD 218 serves students from elementary through high school in a rural Kansas community, making the deployment an example of how smaller school districts are incorporating AI-based security systems into their facilities.
Cole Parks, the district’s IT director and athletic director, described the implementation as straightforward.
“The integration was seamless, and their response time is quick,” Parks said.
The Kansas grant program provided the district with funding to purchase and implement the software, allowing the school system to add firearm detection capabilities alongside its camera and access-control upgrades.
ZeroEyes Chief Executive Officer Mike Lahiff credited the state’s support for helping schools adopt the technology.
The deployment extends ZeroEyes’ presence in the education sector as school districts evaluate technologies intended to improve situational awareness and emergency coordination.
The system’s effectiveness depends on cameras capturing a visible firearm and subsequent verification by the company’s operations center. It is not designed to detect concealed weapons that do not appear in camera footage.
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