WHEREAS, Temple University, and its faculty and students, faces many public safety challenges as an anchor institution in North Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, ZeroEyes, an AI gun detection software system created by ex-Navy SEALs after the Parkland shooting in South Florida, layers onto digital security systems to provide instant imaging and communications to law enforcement three to five seconds after the sound of a detected gunshot; and
WHEREAS, Temple University’s Department of Public Safety (TUDPS) announced in November 2024 that they would be implementing ZeroEyes technology in the more than 400 security cameras that were upgraded in 2022 and 2023 during an audit; and
WHEREAS, This is the first time that a university within Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware has implemented the AI gun detection solution, which holds a full U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation; and
WHEREAS, ZeroEyes will use the university’s existing security cameras and a combination of artificial intelligence and human verification to detect exposed guns, allowing TUDPS to be able to mitigate the effects of mass shootings by early identification of a firearm, and respond as quickly as possible in the event of a gun-related incident; and
WHEREAS, Temple University’s embrace of cutting-edge security technology reinforces their commitment to keeping the Temple and North Philadelphia communities safe; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby thanks Temple University for becoming the first university in the Philadelphia region to deploy gun detection technology to boost safety.
End