By Esteban Fernandez, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — After a spate of threats to various Marion County Schools and others statewide, local school officials hopes AI will provide additional peace of mind.
The school district unveiled its new gun detection system at Fairmont Senior High on Tuesday. The school’s unconventional design will let Marion County Schools and Rank One Computing shakedown their gun detection algorithm for any bugs and streamline protocol. The district wants to eventually expand its use to every school in the county.
“It’s a continuation of what we started a year or so back,” Marion County Sheriff Jimmy Riffle said. “We’re always looking for different ways to secure the schools, make sure the students and staff are safe and can function in a learning environment. Any technology we can use to further that safety initiative, we’re going to look at.”
Rank One’s algorithm integrates into the school’s existing security camera infrastructure. The system can detect whenever a weapon, whether it’s a pistol or a long gun, is drawn within view of a camera. Once it detects a threat, the system alerts whoever the system is set to notify, such as the principal, office staff, school superintendent and even local law enforcement.
The AI doesn’t stop at weapons or suspicious objects. It can also scan faces for known sex offenders or other problematic individuals. The system has the ability to integrate with lists from regional jails. Conversely, it can also be used to greenlight parents or grandparents who have come to pick up their child. Another use is license plate recognition.
