PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST 22, 2024 -- ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security Safety Act Designation, today announced its partnership with the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA), a group that advocates the views of the Commonwealth’s food and beverage industries. The pair will educate owners and workers of convenience stores, supermarkets, independent grocers, and more about the effects of gun-related violence and how to minimize loss prevention.
Retail crime continues to be a significant concern for PFMA member businesses. In Philadelphia, there has been a growing trend of violence as individuals involved in retail theft activity increasingly carry weapons and fight with staff when confronted. According to the ZeroEyes Gun Violence Research Center, 26% of gun-related incidents in Pennsylvania's retail industry are related to these illegal activities. This violence affects not only storefronts, but also retailers, manufacturers, and distributors.
ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software layers onto existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), the industry’s only U.S.-based, fully in-house operation center, which is staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained 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 retail staff as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from detection.
"Retail crime is a growing concern nationwide, affecting store operations and community well-being," said Alex Baloga, president and CEO of PFMA. "The rise in incidents challenges the safety of both employees and customers, making security a top priority. We're pleased to welcome ZeroEyes to our association as we collaborate to address this issue and support our local businesses."
"The alarming increase in gun-related incidents in retail stores is a growing concern, particularly here in Pennsylvania," said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. "We are excited to join PFMA and support our local food merchants and raise awareness about innovative technologies that can help keep their staff and communities safe."
ZeroEyes will be hosting PFMA’s Loss Prevention Committee on September 18 from 11 AM to 1:30 PM to discuss issues such as organized retail crime, shared crime reporting, retail theft penalty legislation, law enforcement education initiatives, associate awareness programs, and store security strategies.
About ZeroEyes
ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified AI gun detection software solution that integrates into existing digital security cameras and helps to mitigate mass shootings and gun-related violence by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence with images and delivering clarity among chaos — ultimately saving lives. ZeroEyes' patented solution has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a promising anti-terrorism technology and is the first video analytics technology to receive SAFETY Act DT&E Designation.
Founded by Navy SEALs and elite technologists, ZeroEyes dispatches accurate and real-time actionable intelligence about the illegal brandishing of a gun near or in an occupied area or building, to local staff and law enforcement with an image of the shooter(s) and location of the threat, as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from the moment the gun is detected.
The ZeroEyes team also provides tech consulting, installation assistance and practice drills for active shooter events to enhance safety at schools, corporate and government facilities. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia area, the company's affordable and effective gun detection solution has been adopted by the US Department of Defense, leading public K-12 school districts, colleges/universities, healthcare facilities, commercial property groups, manufacturing plants, Fortune 500 corporate campuses, shopping malls, big-box retail stores and more. Learn more about ZeroEyes at ZeroEyes.com.
