PHILADELPHIA, February 6, 2023 -- ZeroEyes today announced that its AI firearm detection and intelligent situational awareness platform will be deployed at the Merage Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Orange County to protect its members and community from firearm threats.
ZeroEyes is the latest addition to a layered security program that Merage JCC has implemented as a strategic response to rising threats amidst Jewish communities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a 37% increase of anti-Jewish hate crimes in 2022, marking the highest number recorded since 1991, and antisemitism continues to intensify due to recent global events.
“We evaluated various AI firearm detection platforms and selected ZeroEyes based on its exceptional capabilities and customer service,” said Scott Braswell, CEO of Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County. “The technology will increase our visibility across campus, ensuring a holistic approach to safeguarding our community. With this added layer of security, our members can rest assured we’re using advanced technologies to create a safe, positive, and inviting environment.”
Inside its 220,000-square-foot facility, the Merage Jewish Community Center is a lively hub for more than 8,000 community members. The center sees up to 50,000 visitors a month by offering a diverse range of amenities, including a state-of-the-art health and fitness complex, licensed preschool, teen lounge, and cultural spaces like a professional theater and Holocaust Education Center.
ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software layers over existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine that the threat is valid, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type, and last known location, to local law enforcement and the Merage JCC security team as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from detection.
"Ensuring public safety is critical, especially in settings that may be more vulnerable to hate crimes,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “We applaud the Merage Jewish Community Center for taking proactive steps to combat escalating security concerns and create a safer environment. We are proud that our AI firearm detection system will provide an additional layer of protection.”