Visible weapon detection for K-12 campuses
A district safety committee is comparing approaches to weapons on campus: entry screening, metal detectors, staff training and camera-based detection. Each one does a different job. This page covers where camera detection fits in a layered safety plan, and the questions to ask before choosing any approach.
Different jobs in a layered plan
Entry screening checks people and bags at the doors. Staff training prepares adults to notice concerns and respond the way the district's plan describes. Camera-based detection looks at what the cameras can see. It isn't entry screening and doesn't replace a district's screening decisions.
Everyday safety first
VOLT is built to notice moments: a fall, a possible fight, someone where they shouldn't be.
When VOLT notices a moment, it sends a notification to the staff your district chooses. Every notification is human verified.
Built on cameras your district already owns
VOLT is built to run on the cameras you already have.
Where weapon detection fits
Camera-based detection is one layer alongside entry screening, staff training and the district's emergency plans.
VOLT detects handguns, long guns, and knives that are visible to the camera. VOLT keeps visually tracking a person by appearance after they've been identified with a visible weapon, even once the weapon is hidden.
Every notification is human verified, and it shows the camera view and the location.
Questions to ask about any weapon detection approach
- What does it detect, and what doesn't it detect?
- Who reviews a notification before staff receive it?
- Who receives a notification, as the district chooses?
- How does it fit with the cameras the district already has?
- How are staff prepared to respond when a notification arrives?
- How do the district's own policies decide where and how it's used?
- How will the district evaluate it before rollout?
For a broader comparison of approaches, read our post on ways schools detect weapons.
Public school safety resources: