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IACP 2019: BodyWorn by Utility Debuts Active Shooter Response Technology

BodyWorn by Utility Inc. has announced the unveiling of Active Shooter Response Technology (ASRT). The company says when it's installed in schools, businesses, stores, and other locations, ASRT provides real-time detection and location reporting of gunshots to reduce response time to active shooter events.

October 31, 2019
4 min to read


BodyWorn by Utility Inc. has announced the unveiling of Active Shooter Response Technology (ASRT). The company says when it's installed in schools, businesses, stores, and other locations, ASRT provides real-time detection and location reporting of gunshots to reduce response time to active shooter events. Utility's new ASRT sensor technology is designed to enable police officers to immediately respond to gunshots the moment they occur, knowing the exact location where the gunshot occurred.

Active Shooter Response Technology is part of BodyWorn's cloud-based ecosystem, AVaiLWeb. Once a gunshot is detected, a real-time alert with geographical location including Classroom number or Hallway ID is wirelessly sent to central dispatch, the nearest responding police officers, command staff, school and business administrators, and other designated personnel.

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Utility says ASRT intelligent sensors can accurately distinguish gunshots from other loud noises, and provide a room number where the gunshot occurred. Responding police officers have accurate and timely active shooter situational awareness information that increases officer safety and can save citizen lives.

"Utility has had a longstanding relationship with the city of Lawrence, Indiana, and this excellent partnership is now being extended to the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township and its community at no cost. Utility's goal is to expedite the adoption of this transformative technology by working closely with the stakeholders that have the most to gain and to protect," said Ted Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Utility Inc.

"Utility's BodyWorn technology was a game-changer in law enforcement when we implemented it three years ago. I am most pleased with the enhanced officer safety benefits and the revolutionary nature of the software that drives the platform," said Chief David Hofmann of the Lawrence (IN) Police Department. "Very soon, a remarkable and new aspect of our body-worn solution will be launched—an innovative gunshot identification and emergency notification system that has never before been seen. This system will guide police officers directly towards a deadly threat, in real-time, in situations where our most vulnerable population is in extreme danger—an active shooter incident in a school. It will also guide the innocent away from the danger, improving their chance of survival. Utility is delivering technology that will inevitably prevent violence and save lives."

"Providing safe and secure learning environments for the 16,000+ students we serve daily is our top priority," stated Superintendent Dr. Shawn Smith from Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township, Indiana. "The decision to implement Utility's technology alongside our ongoing partnership with the Lawrence Police Department demonstrates that commitment and is a critical part of our comprehensive safety plan. When students and staff feel safe, then learning can truly begin."

"The City of Lawrence has enjoyed an excellent relationship with Utility, Inc. to bring cutting-edge body-worn technology to protect the officers who protect our community," said Lawrence Mayor Steven K. Collier. "And now, we are working closely with them to bring a historic new level of safety and protection into our great schools. Partnering with Utility has proven to be the best thing we could do to improve the overall safety of our officers, citizens, school children, and school staff members."

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BodyWorn by Utility Inc. showed its Active Shooter Response Technology at the 2019 International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago. At the show, Utility also officially launched its new Smart ALPR, in collaboration with Sony, and the Ultimate Witness, a dedicated court official portal for managing digital evidence.

Utility's Complete Evidence Capture and Management System

Both the BodyWorn camera and the RocketIoT, singularly or in conjunction, utilize their distinctive communication capabilities to activate specific recording triggers that automatically initiate video recording. These triggers are set by the department's individual recording policies—including a built-in accelerometer, prone positioning, light bar sensors in concert with door opening, rapid motion, GeoFence entry, etc.—and can be updated at any time via their video management system, AVaiLWeb. The BodyWorn camera and the RocketIoT system offer integration with real-time GPS reporting of officer and vehicle, auto-related video for synchronized video playback, dockless evidence offload, and more.

For more information, visit https://www.bodyworn.com.

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