One of the initial products in Lassen Peak’s offering will be AirFrisk - the world’s very first fully-integrated handheld radar system for concealed weapon detection. AirFrisk will be a small, safe and easy-to-use handheld device that will offer an alternative to the traditional, and dangerous, hands-on weapon pat-down.
At the present time, we are planning our initial pilots in select markets and will announce general availability once the solution is fully validated. We’re making sure we get this right from all aspects (product performance and features, privacy and civil rights issues, legal opinions, etc).
The Lassen Peak system will use radio waves that safely and rapidly scan the individual’s body repeatedly. The harmless radio waves will reflect off concealed objects on the body and alert officers to the presence and location of these objects. The technology is safe and already proven through walk-through imaging scanners in airports that employ similar technology.
Battery life will be engineered to support operation for a minimum of 12 hours on a fully-charged and healthy battery. This will vary however, depending on the use of the device (number of scans, active screen time, etc) and other variables (age and condition of device, environmental factors, etc).
When an object is identified, an on-screen visual will be overlaid onto the color video to let the officer know the location of the object. This is similar to what is seen in walk-through scanners at airports.
Yes, imaging radar is material agnostic and will detect edges and shapes of objects made from various materials, such as plastic, polymer, wood, metal, etc. while also providing an indication of the material. This is especially important given the rising trend of weapons made from hardened plastic and 3D printers to evade metal detectors.
Because artificial intelligence (AI) requires a large volume of data for training, AI will not be used in the initial product offering. As enough data is collected to train and validate the AI engine, AI will be used to assess the level of threat the object poses – what is the relative size of the object, what material does it appear to be, where is it on the person’s body, and what characteristics does the object have (sharp point, trigger, etc). The AI will essentially work much like our own human brains work as we look at things and classify them.
Yes, AirFrisk will be safe for routine, daily use by officers as well as those being scanned. Unlike X-ray which can cause damage to tissues and DNA, AirFrisk operates around the 300 GHz frequency (similar to mobile phones and WiFi) and is considered non-ionizing energy. Non-ionizing energy is used routinely in many everyday applications. The amount of radiated energy will be far less than that of a mobile phone - the typical cell phone emits between 600 milliwatts and 3 Watts during regular use; for comparison, AirFrisk generates only 1 milliwatt of radiated energy.
No personally identifiable information (PII) will be collected. Regular color video will be captured for context along with radar measurements collected on all non-human objects on the body. Other metadata generated by the system and captured for later auditing purposes includes user, date/time stamp, GPS coordinates, and audio of the scan event.
The technology can penetrate clothing and will attempt to classify any objects that do not appear to be part of the human body – calling attention to potential weapons. Because the radar reflection of the human epidermis is known, Lassen Peak should not collect any data points that are identified as epidermis.
While the data will be stored in the Lassen Peak secure evidence cloud and hosted by Lassen Peak, the agency collecting the scan will own and manage all data associated with the scan (images series, metadata, audit information, etc). The agency will define data retention according to policy and/or law, define user permissions, and limit access to authorized users.
Only users set up and authorized by the agency will be able to access the system, and all logins and record views will be logged in an audit trail. While the system will not contain any data that would be considered criminal justice information (CJI), Lassen Peak will adhere to all relevant aspects of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Security Policy as a best practice. This will include password complexity and change rules, two factor authentication, deactivation of dormant user accounts, network and physical security and much more.
In addition to Lassen Peak’s planned and voluntary compliance to the FBI’s CJIS Security Policy, scan data will be double-encrypted at rest on the AirFrisk device, in transit, and within the agency's ImageVault cloud account. Additionally, role-based permissions as well as a number of other agency- configured features will ensure least privilege access.
There are several circumstances when this technology can be legally used within the United States: when a person consents to being searched, in a circumstance where a search for weapons is permitted in accordance with Terry v. Ohio (1968), and pursuant to authorized procedures within jails and correctional facilities. Lassen Peak has received a legal opinion that AirFrisk - when used in an authorized Terry scenario - presents no 4th Amendment issues in the United States. While not based on U.S. law, other countries tend to have similar laws as it relates to the lawful search of individuals.
The system helps protect civil rights by creating an immutable audit trail of all scan activity, thereby enabling agencies to better enforce their policies and monitor users for any disproportionate usage among certain persons or communities. Unlike a manual pat down, an accountable data log is automatically created each time the device scan is initiated – i.e., the officer conducting the search is known and accountable for the search, including being required to enter the reason or suspicion that led to the search.
Aside from the overall improvement in efficiency and effectiveness, the system will drastically improve officer safety by allowing the officer to remain at a reasonably safe distance ( 6-10’) rather than get within arm’s reach where many physical confrontations originate. It will also allow the officer to keep his/her eyes on the individual for improved situational awareness and response time. It can also help to validate an individual’s claims that he/she does not have a weapon – avoiding escalation to use-of-force incidents and preventing unnecessary conflict.
The Lassen Peak scan is much less invasive than a traditional “pat down” weapons search and therefore can provide a much more respectful and dignified experience through avoidance of physical contact and also by eliminating the standard protocol of having the individual place their hands above their head or lean against a wall or patrol car. It can also help prevent unnecessary escalation between the officer and the individual by validating the absence of a weapon – potentially saving lives.
The technology will provide an audit trail of all scans conducted to provide the agency with a way of monitoring users to ensure proper use. As with body worn cameras, capturing the search will provide a level of transparency and accountability for both the agency and the individual being scanned, and – when necessary – will provide the court with evidence to ensure proper actions were taken. By avoiding physical contact, the system will actually help the agency/City save money through the avoidance of avoid civil suits originating from claims of impropriety as well as preventing injuries to officers (and related workman’s comp) resulting from physical altercations.
The technology has the potential to directly contribute to improved outcomes, safeguarding the lives of both officers and the community members they serve. This should ultimately improve the relationship between the community and law enforcement by fostering transparency, accountability, trust and respect during encounters that are necessary to ensure everyone’s safety.