Nashville Schools Implement AI Weapon Detection Technology

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) hope to activate their new, AI-generated brandished weapon detection system next week.

The system, Gun Detect from Omnilert, uses military-inspired AI technology to deliver improved detection accuracy and sub-second detection of potential gun threats. MNPS is adding the AI feature to their extensive security camera network to allow for enhanced monitoring and alerts if someone on campus has a visible firearm.

“School safety has been a topic of concern for MNPS for many years, and the district has made significant efforts to ensure the security of our educational institutions,” according to a statement on the district website.

A spokesperson with MNPS told local news outlets that the system is training staff this week and hopes to have the whole system active in schools by next week.

The implementation comes soon after the latest results were released from a Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy poll of Tennessee parents, which explored parental feelings about firearm safety in schools. More than a third of the respondents said “my child’s safety” in school was a top concern. Nearly 40% of parents said their children were worried about school shootings, and two-thirds of parents said they have had conversations with their children about firearm violence at school. Less than 20% said they felt schools were safer than the previous year, and a similar number reported they have considered changing schools or homeschooling due to safety concerns.

“Exposure to firearm violence, directly or indirectly, can impact a child’s health in many ways causing physical, emotional and social symptoms. It can disrupt their sleep or hinder their ability to learn,” said Kelsey Gastineau, MD, MPH, a pediatric hospitalist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “When 2 of 5 parents in Tennessee are worried about school shootings, it’s a signal that they don’t have access to the safe, supportive environments they need to thrive.”

Omnilert’s Gun Detect is already in use on other campuses across the country, including Sonoran University in Arizona and Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland.