Visitor Screening Solutions: An Overview

Security professionals grappling with rising incidents of violence and evaluating visitor screening solutions are exploring the adoption of weapons detection systems due to the following challenges:

• Given the growing concerns surrounding gun violence, the foremost objective is to safeguard both providers and the public. However, implementing intrusive security measures like metal detectors may cause discomfort for all entrants, including one-time visitors and healthcare professionals attending their daily shifts.
• Despite facilities designating specific areas as “no firearm” zones, identifying visitors, patients, or staff members carrying weapons and posing potential threats remains a significant challenge.
• The use of metal detectors and similar active systems poses risks to individuals with medical devices.
• Traditional security systems, requiring multiple staff members, can incur substantial costs.
• Frequent false alarms from security systems can deplete resources, induce panic, and divert attention from real threats. Many systems struggle to distinguish between everyday items and potential hazards.
• Extended queues resulting from metal detectors or similar security checks can disrupt hospital operations and negatively impact visitor satisfaction.
• In critical events like active shooter situations, video footage is crucial for investigation. However, numerous traditional security systems lack this feature, hindering post-event analysis.
• The integration of an external vendor’s cloud-based system-structured IT infrastructure could present a significant challenge, requiring adjustments to internal processes and procedures.

Note: SoundThinking’s SafePointe weapons detection system was built to solve all the pain points listed above. You can read about it in detail below or reach out to our sales team to learn more about how it can help improve security operations.

SafePointe: Stealth Weapons Detection

SafePointe, the latest addition to SoundThinking’s SafetySmart platform, is an artificial intelligence-powered weapons detection system tailored for high-throughput facilities, all within a discreet form factor. Unlike cumbersome traditional metal detectors, the SafePointe system allows guests and employees to seamlessly navigate through concealed sensors that demand no action, disruption, or the presence of security personnel at entry points.

Key Feature # 1: Subtle Weapons Detection System Preserves Public Safety Without Disrupting Visitor Environment

In contrast to conventional metal detector systems that are often noticeable and can create unease in healthcare settings, the SafePointe system places a premium on subtlety. Typically installed as inconspicuous bollards or seamlessly integrated into current structures, it ensures a seamless integration into the environment.

SafePointe allows visitors to access venues seamlessly without the intrusive visibility of overt security measures. Its subtle configuration guarantees an additional level of public safety while preserving the atmosphere and ensuring the comfort of patrons.

Key Feature # 2: Unmanned System Upholds Rigorous Safety Protocols

SafePointe utilizes cutting-edge sensor technology known as Magnetic Moment, serving as a pivotal component in its economical and unmanned operation. This technology, incorporating advanced algorithms and an extensive database of weapon signatures, analyzes the magnetic properties of objects to distinguish potential threats from innocuous items. Its self-sufficient AI-driven methodology eradicates the need for continuous human supervision at entry points, a common necessity in conventional security setups. Additionally, the system is reinforced with ‘human in the loop’ supervision from remote monitoring centers, ensuring a seamless integration of technological capabilities and human judgment.

Within certain settings with fluctuating security demands, traditional manned systems may fall short in providing consistent coverage. In contrast, SafePointe ensures continuous, 24/7 monitoring, establishing a constant and effective security layer. The system’s autonomous functionality not only upholds stringent safety standards but also instills a sense of confidence and serenity.

Key Feature # 3: Passive Sensors Prioritize Patient Safety Without Compromising Health Standards

SafePointe’s Magnetic Moment sensors offer a non-intrusive substitute for active security measures like metal detectors and other weapons detection systems. This passive attribute gives precedence to the safety of individuals with medical devices, including implants and pacemakers, as well as pregnant women and children. The discreet design of the bollards enables unobstructed passage, catering to individuals with medical devices.

Key Feature # 4: Cost Efficiency for Budget Control

In contrast to conventional metal detectors, which can incur significant expenses, often surpassing $10,000 annually, SafePointe’s cost-effectiveness is enhanced by its unmanned operation, eliminating the need for additional personnel. This economic advantage is further accentuated by SoundThinking’s provision of a flexible, subscription-based payment model for SafePointe, with options available for terms of three or five years. Such an approach not only makes SafePointe financially viable but also positions it as a technologically advanced security solution.

Key Feature # 5: Accurate Detection Reduces False Alarms, Ensuring the Security of Facilities

Unlike conventional metal detectors, which often experience elevated false positive rates, SafePointe boasts an exceptionally low occurrence of false alarms. This precision is credited to its vast database, housing over 14 million weapon signatures, and an AI/ML system that perpetually learns and adjusts. In response to evolving threats and the emergence of new weapon types, SafePointe regularly updates its knowledge base, keeping it at the forefront of threat detection. The ability to differentiate genuine threats from innocuous items, such as personal belongings, holds paramount significance in any environment.

As an example, imagine a busy school setting where students frequently have metal items like phones, keys, or laptops. Traditional metal detectors and other weapons detection systems might trigger alarms for these common items, causing unnecessary panic and disruptions. In contrast, SafePointe’s advanced system, equipped with an extensive database and ongoing learning capabilities, adeptly helps screen out most of these harmless items and identify dangerous items. This not only promotes a calmer environment but also allows security personnel to focus on higher probability threats.

Key Feature # 6: Efficient Screening Procedure – Accelerated by Up to 20 Times Compared to Conventional Methods

SafePointe has the capacity to screen up to 7,200 individuals per hour per lane, exceeding the speed of conventional metal detectors by more than 20 times and surpassing some competitors by nearly double the rate, thereby enhancing the flow of visitors.

Key Feature # 7: Organized Alerts Enriched with Video Streamline Investigative Follow-Up

SafePointe’s system adeptly manages public safety through its organized alerts, complemented by video content for streamlined investigative follow-up. Unlike traditional metal detectors lacking video capabilities, SafePointe rapidly dispatches categorized alerts alongside relevant video footage to the security team within an average of ten seconds of detecting a potential threat. This prompt response is crucial in environments where timely and accurate security intervention holds paramount importance.

The system surpasses mere weapons detection by delivering actionable intelligence. Utilizing a ‘human in the loop’ approach, SafePointe’s analysts evaluate and categorize the nature of the threat, furnishing security teams with comprehensive insights for prioritized and informed responses. This proves invaluable in the dynamic healthcare facility environment, where the prompt identification of genuine threats is paramount.

Moreover, the recorded video footage is crucial for real-time incident comprehension, empowering security personnel to make informed decisions. This visual evidence not only plays a critical role in immediate security actions but also serves as vital documentation for subsequent investigations or legal proceedings. In healthcare situations, where time is of the essence, SafePointe’s structured and video-enhanced alert system ensures a swift, effective, and well-informed security response.

Key Feature # 8: Functions Autonomously from Your Main Network

While the SafePointe system has the capability to connect with your VMS or other security platforms, it is deliberately designed to operate independently from your network, a feature that IT professionals find valuable. Our AI system and sensors are connected to and send alerts through the Cloud using a web portal interface or a Smart Phone App.

Criteria for Evaluating a Weapons Detection System

1. Does the system ensure discreet weapons detection, prioritizing public safety without causing disruptions to the surrounding environment?
2. What are the personnel requirements for the system? Does it support unmanned operation while maintaining rigorous safety standards?
3. Are the sensors passive and free from health risks, ensuring the well-being of visitors with medical devices such as implants and pacemakers?
4. Is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in line with the financial constraints of your facility? Are there flexible payment options available to better align with your needs?
5. Has the system demonstrated high accuracy with minimal occurrences of false positives?
6. Can the system effectively manage high foot traffic?
7. Does the system provide real-time, video-enhanced alerts for efficient investigative follow-up?
8. Does the system function independently of your primary network?

The Leading Weapons Detection Solution

At a juncture where public safety concerns loom large, SafePointe emerges as the preeminent selection for facilities seeking effective weapons detection systems. Tailored for facilities aspiring to seamlessly integrate innovative threat detection, operational efficiency, and patient-centric design, SafePointe’s specialized technology ensures safety in dynamic environments, cultivating a secure yet visitor-friendly environment.