SEPTA approves artificial intelligence pilot program to combat crime

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- SEPTA announced a new strategy Friday to reduce gun-related violence on the transit system.

Acting Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said a six-month artificial intelligence pilot program will begin with 300 cameras.

The SEPTA board approved the pilot program during its November meeting.

The program will use existing cameras at stations along the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines.

"We're seeing more guns. We're seeing more guns being used in crimes," said Lawson.

"We think technology has to be part of the solution. The reality is, I'm never going to have enough police officers to staff every single subway car, station, bus throughout our entire network," Lawson added.

Lawson said SEPTA will be the first transit agency to run ZeroEyes, which was founded by a group of former Navy SEALS. The company created a video to show how the system works.

The software will layer over SEPTA's existing cameras.

The software is already being used by the Department of Defense, universities, and many organizations.

"It will not alert on a gun that is in a holster, will not alert on guns that are concealed. It has to be seen, it has to be out in the open. And if it's being brandished out in the open, that's certainly something we want to know about, whether it's being carried legally or not," explained Lawson.

The pilot program costs just under $65,000 and is expected to begin within the next two months.

If the software detects an open gun, the former U.S. military and law enforcement specialists monitoring cameras at ZeroEyes can confirm the detection and notify local law enforcement. From there they can relay details and real-time location.

"The beautiful part about this technology is that it doesn't require any personnel of ours to operate," Lawson continued.

Some commuters are not necessarily opposed to the technology but would really like to see more patrols.

"There are times I come down here, and I have not seen one SEPTA police," said Felice of Northeast Philadelphia, who declined to provide her last name.

"They need someone to walk each one of them cars every day, every morning. Just walk the cars. What's wrong with you just walking the cars?" said Shaunte Silver of Southwest Philadelphia.

According to ZeroEyes, the technology does not perform any facial recognition or store images of any person.