In an effort to proactively protect its congregants against gun-related threats, Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, California has recently adopted artificial intelligence (AI)-based gun detection.

Valley Baptist Church was established in 1985 and has since grown to encompass four campuses with 15 pastors, 8,000 members and a 280-student pre-school. The congregation has recently placed significant focus and emphasis on church campus safety, hiring its first director of safety and security.

The church has implemented technology from ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation.

The visual gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software will be layered on Valley Baptist Church’s existing digital security cameras. If an illegally brandished gun is identified, images will instantly be shared with a specialized group of experts at one of the in-house ZeroEyes Operation Centers (ZOC) that are staffed 24/7/365. These experts 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 within 3 to 5 seconds from detection.

Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises also recently implemented AI-based gun detection video analytics at all its properties and a variety of K-12 school districts and other industries have adopted gun detection technology to improve building safety.