Middlefield schools implement new AI system to recognize firearms on security cameras

MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cardinal School District activated a new AI system this school year that allows their cameras to recognize firearms in hopes of preventing threats.

“AI is here and it’s real,” Cardinal Jr./Sr. High School principal Paul Gerycz said, “so we want to find positive ways to use it.”

“Our goal is to provide safety for our students,” said superintendent Jack Cunningham. “It’s one of our number one priorities.”

The software, created by the American company ZeroEyes, will be implemented on select cameras in both the Jr./Sr. High School and Cardinal Elementary school.

Senior VP of Sales JT Wilkins says the software can spot a firearm the moment it’s drawn: “We put thousands if not millions of images in our database. Over time it’s able to learn what that image looks like that corresponds to a potential firearm threat.”

The real-time camera data then passes through a 24/7 operations center, where trained staff can confirm a threat and pass the alert along to school staff.

Wilkins adds that their staff are prepared for the task: “”With their background being military and law enforcement, they all have previous training at some point."

School leadership explained to 19 News that no shooting incident has happened at the school district before. Still, they believe the investment valued at thousands of dollars a year is worth it.

“You don’t know when it’s going to happen, but when it happens, you want to try to have as much planning and implementation,” Cunningham said.

The camera system is up and running now, but in the long run, Cunningham said “we’re happy that it never alerts, that’s what our goal is, yet we’re also hoping if something happens, we’ll be able to get an alert and save lives.”