Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (LCISD) recently updated its security with a new addition: Weapons Detection Systems from Athena Security, an Austin company on the cutting edge of safety technology. With campus security as a priority, LCISD Chief of Police Henry Garcia chose to deploy 24 of Athena’s systems across LCISD to scan for concealed weapons at school entrances.
“It’s a force multiplier,” says Chief Garcia. “It puts us in a position to see and detect the things that we’re not able to see with the naked eye.”
With school shootings as a common concern for students, parents, and staff, Athena’s system provides a second set of eyes to catch things security officers might miss, including people trying to bypass the system. Athena’s system includes AI-powered evasion detection, which can detect people going around the system and not walking through the detector. Even if the officer is looking away for a second, the evasion detection feature will take notice, triggering both an audio and visual alert.
Athena CTO and co-founder Chris Ciabarra believes this could be a game changer for schools, airports, and hospitals. He explains that Athena’s Weapons Detection System not only detects more threats than traditional metal detectors but also puts more controls around the process to ensure that security is uncompromised.
“Evasion detection is just one control that helps security officers protect themselves,” says Ciabarra. “We also have other best practices from Homeland Security built into the product to help officers keep weapons out of the facilities.” His goal is not just to detect weapons but to detect any threats that are getting around the system. Athena’s Weapons Detection System integrates lidar, cameras, patented AI, and optional thermal cameras to do just that.
LCISD Chief Henry Garcia believes that part of being effective at law enforcement is embracing effective technology. Athena Security’s low-profile system is non-intimidating for students and allows for a steady flow of people into the school while effectively screening for weapons and ensuring that security cannot be bypassed.
