Gun Detection

Detect. Verify. Lock Down.

Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence identifies firearms in camera feeds, routes to human verification in seconds, and triggers PACS lockdown — protecting your people before first responders arrive.

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Gun Detection Handler identifying a firearm with AI bounding boxes on an exterior camera feed

Gun Detection Handler with person detection overlay in a facility stairwell

The Challenge

Every Second Counts — Most Security Systems Can't Keep Up

Traditional camera infrastructure records footage for after-the-fact review. It cannot detect threats in progress, coordinate lockdowns, or accelerate response when it matters most.

The Response Time Gap

Minutes pass between a firearm entering a facility and the first coordinated response. Traditional security relies on someone seeing a threat and manually initiating lockdown — a process that takes too long when seconds determine outcomes.

Cameras That Only Record

Most enterprise camera systems capture video but cannot analyze it in real time. Security teams review footage after an incident — not during one. This turns surveillance into documentation rather than protection.

No Automated Lockdown Coordination

Even when a threat is identified, manually coordinating a facility lockdown across multiple access points, buildings, and floors creates dangerous delays. Most organizations lack a direct link between threat detection and physical access control.

The Solution

AI-Powered Gun Detection with Human Verification

The Gun Detection Handler continuously analyzes camera feeds, identifies potential firearms, and initiates a human-verified response chain that can lock down your facility in seconds — not minutes.

Real-Time Firearm Detection

The Gun Detection Handler processes live camera feeds through AI models trained to identify visible firearms. Detection happens continuously across every connected camera — no manual monitoring required.

Human-Verified Escalation

Every detection is routed to a security operator for visual confirmation before any lockdown action is taken. This human-in-the-loop step eliminates false lockdowns from misidentified objects like umbrellas, phone cases, or tools.

Automated PACS Lockdown

Once verified, Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence triggers lockdown through your physical access control system — locking doors, restricting access zones, and securing the facility. No manual button-pressing required across multiple systems.

Complete Audit Trail

Every detection, verification decision, and lockdown action is logged with timestamps, video evidence, and operator notes. The Investigator provides a searchable record for post-incident review, compliance reporting, and continuous improvement.

Seconds

From detection to verified lockdown

Human-Verified

Every detection confirmed before action

24/7

Continuous monitoring across all cameras

Existing Cameras

No specialized hardware required

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How It Works

Detect → Verify → Lock Down → Resolve

The Gun Detection Handler follows a four-stage chain — adapted for the speed and verification requirements of active threat response.

Detect

AI continuously analyzes camera feeds across your facility, identifying potential firearms in real time. Edge Processors handle the video analysis on-premises for speed and data sovereignty.

Verify

The detection is immediately routed to a security operator with video evidence, bounding box highlights, and context. The operator confirms whether the object is a firearm — no lockdown without human confirmation.

Lock Down

Upon verification, Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence triggers automated PACS lockdown — securing doors, restricting zones, and dispatching alerts via Slack, SMS, or ServiceNow. First responders are notified with location and visual context.

Resolve

The full incident is documented — detection timestamp, verification decision, lockdown execution, and all-clear. Searchable in the Investigator for post-incident reporting, compliance, and training.

Scenarios

Gun Detection Across Facility Types

The Gun Detection Handler protects diverse environments — from corporate headquarters to hospital campuses — each with tailored response workflows.

Corporate Campus Protection

Large corporate campuses with multiple buildings, lobbies, and parking structures present complex security challenges. The Gun Detection Handler monitors cameras across the entire campus, providing centralized threat detection that scales with your footprint.

Upon verified detection, PACS lockdown secures building entry points while automated alerts notify security leadership and coordinate with on-site response teams — all within a single workflow.

Gun Detection Handler Tailgating Detection DFO Handler

Healthcare Facility Security

Hospitals and medical centers face unique security challenges — high foot traffic, 24/7 operations, and vulnerable patient populations. The Gun Detection Handler adds a critical layer of protection to emergency departments, lobbies, and parking areas.

Healthcare-specific workflows can coordinate with facility safety teams and initiate shelter-in-place procedures that account for patient care continuity alongside physical security.

Gun Detection Handler Person On Ground Handler DHO Handler

Education and K-12 Security

School safety demands technology that can detect threats before they escalate. The Gun Detection Handler monitors campus entry points, hallways, and exterior areas — providing an early warning layer that supplements existing security measures.

Cost-effective deployment through existing camera infrastructure makes AI-powered gun detection accessible to school districts, with automated lockdown procedures designed for educational environments.

Gun Detection Handler DFO Handler After Hours Handler

Gun Detection Handler with detection overlay in a facility lobby entrance

Public Venue Protection

Convention centers, entertainment venues, and public gathering spaces process thousands of visitors daily. The Gun Detection Handler provides continuous surveillance across large camera networks, identifying potential threats in high-density environments.

Integration with existing access control and communication systems enables coordinated response across security teams, venue operations, and law enforcement — accelerating the path from detection to containment.

Gun Detection Handler DFO Handler Crowd Forming Handler

Gun Detection Handler showing AI bounding box identifying a potential firearm in a stairwell

Responsible AI

Human Verification Before Every Lockdown

Gun detection AI is only as trustworthy as its verification process. Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence never triggers a lockdown based on AI alone — every detection is confirmed by a trained security operator before action is taken.

This human-in-the-loop approach prevents false lockdowns from everyday objects, maintains trust in the system, and ensures that when lockdown does trigger, it's based on a confirmed threat.

AI detects and highlights potential firearms with bounding boxes and confidence context
A security operator reviews the live video feed and confirms or dismisses the detection
Lockdown only triggers after human confirmation — never from AI classification alone
False positive objects (umbrellas, phone cases, tools) are filtered by human judgment
Every decision is logged with operator ID, timestamp, and reasoning for audit

Cobalt security operator reviewing gun detection events on dual monitors running Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence

See It in Action

Inside the Gun Detection Handler

From AI detection with bounding box overlays to operator verification and lockdown execution — see how the workflow operates in Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence.

Gun Detection Handler — AI detects a person with a potential firearm in a stairwell

Exterior camera — AI identifies a potential firearm with person and gun bounding boxes

AI bounding box identifying a potential firearm in a stairwell camera feed

Gun bounding box overlay — AI highlights the detected object for operator review

Gun Detection Handler with detection overlay in a facility lobby

Lobby camera — Gun Detection Handler with detection overlay at a facility entrance

Security operator viewing gun detection event with verification tooltip

Security operator reviews detection with verification tooltip and live video

Cobalt security operator reviewing gun detection events on dual monitors

Security operator at a Cobalt command station reviewing gun detection events on dual monitors

Gun detection event escalated to PACS lockdown in Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence

Verified detection escalated — PACS lockdown triggered across the facility

Gun detection event detail with live video playback

Event detail view with video playback for post-incident review

Investigator grid view showing all security events including gun detections

Investigator — searchable event grid for audit, compliance, and reporting

Integrations

Works With Your Existing Security Stack

Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence connects to your access control, video management, and communication systems — no rip-and-replace required.

Access Control Systems

LenelS2 OnGuard, Genetec, C·CURE 9000, Avigilon, Avigilon Alta (Openpath), S2 NetBox, BrivoOne, Acre Feenics, and others

Video Management & Ingest

BrivoOne, Milestone XProtect, Genetec, RTSP/RTSPS Camera Streams, and others

Identity & SSO

Okta, and others

Ticketing & Workflow

ServiceNow, Salesforce, Slack + Salesforce Service Cloud, and others

Communication

Slack, Phone/SMS, Email, and others via API

What Security Leaders Are Telling Us

The Urgency Is Real

Conversations with enterprise security leaders consistently surface the same priorities: speed, verification, and the ability to act — not just record.

Quick activation of multiple threat detections — firearms and fall detection — validated the urgency and relevance of an AI-first approach to our security operations.

VP of Global Security — Fortune 500 Technology Company

The judgment-based AI approach is what set this apart. We needed something that could prioritize critical events intelligently — not just flood us with more alerts.

Director of Security — Major U.S. Healthcare System

Our concern was missing alarms during critical events. The false-negative bias approach to threat detection addressed that directly — every potential threat gets eyes on it.

Head of Physical Security — Global Pharmaceutical Company

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Gun Detection Handler identify firearms in camera feeds?

The Gun Detection Handler uses AI models trained to identify visible firearms in live video streams. Edge Processors analyze camera feeds on-premises, detecting objects that match firearm characteristics and generating bounding box highlights with confidence context. When a potential firearm is detected, the event is immediately escalated to a security operator for visual confirmation — no action is taken without human verification.

Does the system automatically lock down a building when a gun is detected?

No. Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence uses a human-in-the-loop verification process. When the Gun Detection Handler identifies a potential firearm, a security operator reviews the video evidence and confirms the detection before any lockdown is initiated. This prevents false lockdowns caused by objects that can be misidentified — such as umbrellas, phone cases, or tools. Only after human confirmation does the system trigger PACS lockdown and dispatch alerts.

What happens after the lockdown is triggered?

Once a security operator verifies a firearm detection, Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence triggers PACS lockdown — locking doors and restricting access zones through your existing access control system (LenelS2 OnGuard, Genetec, BrivoOne, etc.). Simultaneously, alerts are dispatched via configured channels such as Slack, SMS, or ServiceNow, and first responders can be notified with location data and visual context. The entire incident — from detection through resolution — is logged with timestamps, video evidence, and operator notes for post-incident review.

Do I need special cameras for gun detection?

No. The Gun Detection Handler works with your existing camera infrastructure. Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence connects to your current cameras through Edge Processors — on-premises hardware that handles the video analysis. There's no requirement for specialized cameras or a rip-and-replace of your current video management system. If your cameras are connected to a supported VMS like Genetec, Milestone XProtect, or BrivoOne, you can deploy gun detection on your existing infrastructure.

How fast is the detection-to-lockdown process?

The Gun Detection Handler is designed for speed. AI detection happens in real time as frames are processed. Once a potential firearm is flagged, the event is immediately routed to a security operator for verification. After human confirmation, PACS lockdown triggers within seconds. The entire chain — from initial detection through verified lockdown — is measured in seconds, not the minutes typically required for manual identification and coordination.

How does gun detection integrate with other Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence capabilities?

The Gun Detection Handler operates alongside other Handlers within Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence — including Tailgating Detection, Door Forced Open, Door Held Open, and Person On Ground. All events feed into the same platform, the same Investigator for search and reporting, and the same dashboard for metrics and operational visibility. This unified approach means your security team manages all event types through a single platform rather than juggling separate point solutions.

What is AI-Powered Gun Detection for Physical Security?

AI-powered gun detection for physical security uses computer vision models to analyze live camera feeds and identify visible firearms in real time. Unlike traditional video surveillance that only records footage for post-incident review, AI gun detection provides proactive threat identification — alerting security teams to potential firearm threats as they occur rather than after the fact.

Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence provides enterprise-grade gun detection through its Gun Detection Handler — a dedicated AI workflow that continuously processes camera feeds, identifies potential firearms, routes detections to human operators for verification, and triggers automated PACS (Physical Access Control System) lockdown upon confirmation. This human-in-the-loop approach ensures responsible deployment by preventing false lockdowns while maintaining the speed advantage of AI-powered detection.

How Does AI Gun Detection Work with Existing Camera Systems?

Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence deploys gun detection capabilities on existing camera infrastructure through Edge Processors — on-premises hardware that processes video feeds locally. This means organizations do not need to replace their current cameras, video management systems, or access control systems. The platform integrates with major VMS providers including Genetec, Milestone XProtect, and BrivoOne, as well as access control systems like LenelS2 OnGuard, C·CURE 9000, Avigilon, and Acre Feenics.

Edge Processors analyze video frames in real time, applying AI models trained to identify firearm characteristics. When a potential firearm is detected, the system generates a detection event with bounding box overlays, confidence data, and the associated camera feed — immediately routing this information to a security operator for visual confirmation before any automated action is taken.

Why is Human-in-the-Loop Verification Critical for Gun Detection?

Human-in-the-loop verification is essential for responsible gun detection deployment because AI models, while highly capable, can generate false positives from objects with similar visual characteristics to firearms — such as umbrellas, power tools, phone cases, and dark-colored objects of certain shapes. An automated lockdown triggered by a false positive disrupts facility operations, erodes trust in the security system, and can create panic.

Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence addresses this by requiring a trained security operator to review every detection and confirm it before any lockdown action is initiated. This verification step maintains the speed advantage of AI detection — the operator receives the alert within seconds of the AI flagging the object — while adding the judgment layer that prevents costly false lockdowns.

What is PACS Lockdown and How Does It Integrate with Gun Detection?

PACS (Physical Access Control System) lockdown refers to the automated securing of doors, access points, and zones through the building's access control system. When the Gun Detection Handler identifies a potential firearm and a security operator confirms the detection, Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence triggers lockdown commands directly through the integrated PACS — locking doors, restricting access zones, and securing the facility without requiring manual intervention at each access point.

This integration is what differentiates Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence from standalone gun detection alert systems. Rather than simply generating a notification, the platform takes coordinated physical action — closing off zones, notifying first responders with location and visual context, and dispatching alerts through configured communication channels including Slack, ServiceNow, and SMS.

Gun Detection for Corporate Campuses, Healthcare, Education, and Public Venues

The Gun Detection Handler serves a range of facility types with tailored response workflows. Corporate campuses use it alongside tailgating detection and access control monitoring for comprehensive campus security. Healthcare facilities integrate it with person on ground detection and shelter-in-place procedures. Educational institutions leverage existing camera infrastructure for cost-effective school safety technology. Public venues and convention centers deploy it across large camera networks for high-density environment protection.

Active Shooter Preparedness and AI Security Technology

Active shooter preparedness is a growing priority for enterprises, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and public venues. AI-powered gun detection represents a shift from reactive security — where cameras record incidents for post-event review — to proactive security that identifies threats in progress and enables sub-minute response. Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence's approach of combining AI detection speed with human verification accuracy provides organizations with a responsible, enterprise-grade tool for active threat preparedness.

Learn more about AI-powered alarm management Learn about tailgating and unauthorized entry detection Explore access control monitoring capabilities Discover the Cobalt Monitoring Intelligence platform

Protect Your People. Prepare Your Facility.

See how the Gun Detection Handler works with your existing camera and access control infrastructure — from AI detection to human-verified lockdown in seconds.

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