Colorado Considers Bill to Fund AI Firearm Detection Systems in Schools
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By Tammy Leytham
An effort to add a layer of protection against school systems is under consideration by the Colorado General Assembly.
The measure would establish the firearm detection system, which the Office of School Safety would fund. House Bill 24-1123, Funding for School Safety Firearm Detection Systems, was introduced in January 2024 by Rep. Brandi Bradley, R-39th District.
According to Bradley's official website, a firearm detection system uses technology to detect instances where an individual brandishes a firearm. It triggers a real-time feed that instantaneously reaches the School Resource Officer and law enforcement and provides them with the precise location and identification of the individual involved.
"It's important to note that this program operates on an opt-in basis," Bradley wrote. "And a grant program is available for schools interested in implementing this advanced safety measure."
Colorado had 16 mass shootings in 2023, resulting in 76 deaths, though none of those were in schools, according to Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings in the United States.
Historically, the state experienced the following school shootings: Columbine High School shooting in 1999 that left 15 dead and 20 wounded; Platte Canyon High School in 2006, two dead after sexually assaulting six young girls (shooter killed himself); Arapahoe High School shooting in 2013, two dead including the shooter; the Highlands Ranch STEM school shooting in 2019, one teen dead and eight injured (the shooter was disarmed), according to the Colorado Gazette.
The firearm detection funding program would establish an Office of School Safety to disburse funds for school systems to purchase, install, and operate firearm detection software.
The measure specifies that detection software purchased with funds provided through the program must meet a very specific set of criteria, including being produced in the United States, offering a training database of actual videos of firearms taken in relevant environments, and qualifying as anti-terrorism technology based on the Federal "Safety Act."
Even while the bill awaits consideration, a Colorado company, Iterate.ai, is offering its AI-powered threat detection tool to school districts free of charge, according to Gov. Tech.
According to the company website, Iterate.ai's Threat Awareness System uses image recognition to identify guns, knives, and robbery masks. The system can also recognize tactical and kevlar vests, weapons, and humans by gender and age "with no need to see a face," the website states.
According to Iterate.ai, the system uses existing cameras and implements the AI platform to identify a threat. A connection system linked to security systems notifies authorities, locks doors (if the threat is outside"), and sounds alarms.
The company open-sourced the system so that non-profits such as schools and religious institutions can install it for free.
"As a company of AI and digital professionals, we want to help our communities however we can," according to Iterate.ai's website. So, the company does not charge software licensing fees. "Our hope is that software developers, UX designers, and AI engineers from around the world pitch in to make the detection even better. Together, we can add another layer of protection for students and teachers in our schools, members of religious organizations, and other non-profits."
School systems in Illinois, Utah, Indiana, New Jersey, and Virginia have implemented AI gun detection systems, though the jury is still out on how well the systems work, according to Education Week. The article pointed out concerns that include the inability of some systems to detect weapons other than guns, such as knives, and the number of "false alarms" enacted.