The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced last week that ZeroEyes, a company with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based gun detection video analytics platform, will run a pilot program designed to reduce violence on train platforms.
Currently, ZeroEyes’ automated security solution is the only AI-based platform of its kind with SAFETY Act designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition, it is utilized by the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as some public schools, universities, corporate campuses, and other organizations across more than 30 states. However, these efforts in Pennsylvania represent a new foray into transit for the system and will use SEPTA’s own extensive security network of more than 30,000 cameras.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our riders and employees,” Pasquale T. Deon Sr., SEPTA board president, said. “While serious crimes are rare on SEPTA, evaluating this technology demonstrates the Authority’s proactive approach to security.”
The newly authorized pilot – which will be implemented in approximately two months – will use cameras at stations along the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines in Pennsylvania. While safety personnel will continue to review cameras as normal, ZeroEyes’ system will also identify displayed guns and alert those personnel and law enforcement in real-time – a matter of seconds, according to the company.
Notably, the ZeroEyes AI evades one gray area of security that often overlaps with privacy concerns: facial recognition. The company added that while the system provides intelligence on gun-related incidents that include appearance, clothing, weapon, and real-time location, it does not receive, record, store or share videos or images of any person, or make its determinations based on facial evaluation. Former U.S. military and law enforcement monitor any detection on the system from the ZeroEyes Operations Center itself.
“We appreciate the Board’s support for this pilot, and it is our hope that this new technology will be another tool we can use to keep our system safe,” SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie Richards said. “If the program is successful, we will consider deploying ZeroEyes at other locations across the network.”
At the same time as the pilot, transit system users may note increased uniformed police presence on trains. SEPTA will also be deploying new outreach specialists, a virtual patrol center to further monitor its surveillance camera network, and the Transit Watch App for riders to report anonymous concerns, all to further clamp down on crime.
SEPTA is the major transit provider for Philadelphia, as well as the Pennsylvanian counties of Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester, covering bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services alike. Its board approved the ZeroEyes pilot during a meeting earlier this month.