Daytona Beach accepts $60,524 federal JAG grant to buy weapon-detection AI and covert surveillance tools

The Daytona Beach City Commission on Jan. 22 accepted a $60,524 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance and authorized purchases to add weapon-detection software and covert surveillance tools for the police department.

The resolution, read into the record by staff, accepts a grant award of $60,524 and authorizes a purchase of an “IRIS covert surveillance toolbox system” from Point Blank Enterprises Inc. at a cost not to exceed $34,027.43, and authorizes the purchase of weapon-detection software from 0 Eyes Inc. as a sole-source provider at a cost not to exceed $15,000 for a one-year term. The resolution also waived certain competitive-selection requirements of the purchasing code and authorized the city manager to execute any necessary documents. The motion passed unanimously, recorded as 7–0.

Chief of Police (Chief Young) told commissioners the purchase is not a camera procurement but rather an artificial intelligence software layer that integrates with existing cameras; the city or schools must provide the camera hardware. “This technology has already been deployed in 42 states,” Young said, and it is designed to “recognize” a brandished firearm, place a box around it on video, and send an alert to a human-monitored center that verifies the detection before dispatching law enforcement. The chief described a human-in-the-loop verification step and said monitors are staffed by people with military or law-enforcement experience.

City staff and the chief said the package proposed under the grant would provide 24 “0 Eyes” detection packages to integrate with currently installed cameras. Young listed candidate deployment areas under initial consideration, including Seabreeze, Main Street, Joe Harris Park, City Hall entrances, Beach Street parking lots, the band shell, Breakers Park, Daisy Stockton Park, Sunnyland Park, Joe Harris, the Dickerson Center and the stadium on the west end.

Commissioners asked about recurring costs and false positives. Commissioner May asked whether the monitoring is a monthly subscription; Chief Young answered the monitoring service is paid annually and estimated at $15,000 per year, and that the grant would cover the fee. In response to several questions about accuracy and false positives, a vendor representative on the remote line (identified as Brett) described the product as “AI identified, human verified,” and acknowledged a nonzero false-positive rate and the role of the human verifier in reducing errors.

City counsel and staff clarified the procurement notes included a sole‑source waiver for the 0 Eyes software and a separate purchase for the IRIS toolbox from Point Blank Enterprises. Staff emphasized the software alone will not provide footage; existing cameras must be in place and integrated.

The commission approved the resolution by voice vote. The resolution directs the city manager to accept the grant, execute related documents, and authorize budget amendments necessary to spend the grant funds.

Commissioners and members of the public discussed neighborhood and school deployments and whether the county or school district might adopt similar systems. Several commissioners expressed support for a proactive tool to get officers to a scene before shots are fired, while others asked staff to return with specifics about costs, error rates, and deployment details if the system is implemented more broadly.

The acceptance of the JAG grant and authorization to purchase the listed systems became effective on passage.