SDS Joins Campus Violence Prevention Alliance

 by shooterdetectionsystems

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Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) has recently joined forces with the ZeroNow alliance, a coalition dedicated to combating school violence and ensuring a safe environment for students and staff. The SDS team of experts, who previously worked on one of the earliest and most successful gunshot detection systems utilized by the military since the early 1990s, is now channeling their skills and knowledge toward addressing the critical issue of school safety.

What role can gunshot detection systems originally develop for the U.S. military play in safeguarding students? The technology developers who founded Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) worked on one of the earliest and most successful gunshot detection systems used by the military since the early 1990s for sniper detection. In 2014, SDS was formed to make gunshot detection technology commercially available. Their innovation is that SDS’ gunshot detection sensors automate the detection of gunfire as well as emergency notification to building occupants and law enforcement, with the goal to reduce the response time in the event of a gunfire incident.

The technology is now deployed across the United States and internationally in schools, workplaces, transportation, public venues, and other national critical infrastructure sites. Now, SDS has joined the ZeroNow alliance of industry, association, and education partners working to create and execute a path to “zero harm” in schools.

“Our alliance is dedicated to creating the national baseline for safer schools,” said Ara Bagdasarian, CEO and Co-Founder of ZeroNow. “Access to experts in a wide range of safety technologies is essential to achieving this goal. Its decades of experience developing gunshot detection systems designed to work in tandem with other security technologies makes SDS an invaluable addition to ZeroNow.”

“SDS is passionate about bringing our expertise and capability to the critical mission of protecting our schools,” said SDS Managing Director Rich Onofrio. “Students and school staff deserve the highest performing gunshot detection system available. The team at SDS is committed to making schools safer.”

SDS holds numerous patents on gunshot detection technology and their Indoor Gunshot Detection System is a two-time winner of Campus Safety’s Best Fire/Life Safety Product and a 2019 recipient of an Outstanding Security Performance Award (OSPA). SDS’ gunshot detection system also has the distinct honor of being the only gunshot detection system to hold SAFETY Act Certification by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

ZeroNow was founded by technology partners Additional, Axis Communications, Axon, Johnson Controls, and Omnilert, along with campus safety nonprofit partners the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), NASPA (the Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), Campus Safety Magazine, and VTV Family Outreach Foundation.