Protecting Communities, Reducing Pollution

EG: Why may gunshot detection technology be particularly appealing to smaller cities?
 

LJ: Because they likely have very small, but targeted crime hot spots. Competition requires at least one “literal square” mile. We can custom tailor systems for ¼, ½, and full mile increments in unusual shapes. We are also self-powered, which eliminates prohibitive trenching and electrician costs to run AC power. We are also mobile, so if the small city has a special event, fair, or show, we can quickly relocate the system. They will have a custom-tailored high precision system, that is still flexible enough to change with circumstances and crime trends.
 

EG: What would be the consequences if this Active Shooter Technology is not implemented and rolled out? 
   

LJ: The increasing gunshot violence and homicide numbers speak for themselves: Depending on how you calculate it, the gun homicide rate in US cities is likely to have increased by 35 to 40 percent from 2019 to 2020, which would be the biggest single-year increase on record. This was staggering, but it wasn’t getting widespread attention outside of the communities most directly affected, predominantly people of colour, who have suffered most during Covid-19. Resources and attention are critical because we have an excellent toolbox of interventions for curbing gun violence. Part of why action on violence prevention matters so much right now, is that even as some stressors resolve themselves, violence has self-perpetuating characteristics. Disputes between groups and individuals that escalated during Covid will not necessarily go away, even as underlying conditions slowly improve. It will take a combination of large-scale policies, like direct relief payments, along with community-based interventions, to reduce the gun violence epidemic in US cities1.
 

EG: Reducing violent crime is always going to be a benefit to society. How may individuals, corporations, and municipalities assist your vision of improving safety?
 

LJ:  I would commend my research and engineering team (Garland and Pouya) for helping me stay on top of the latest technology and trends in cybersecurity, technology, and energy solutions. I also depend on my strategic partners, Herb Sih of Think BIG Partners and Daniel Hartman of V5 Systems (and the fantastic engineering team at V5), for their partnership and teamwork envisioning what the future holds and how we can scale and expand solutions accordingly.
 

EG: How did your rigorous academic and entrepreneurial training prepare you to succeed as a pioneer at the forefront of the renewable energy and technology sector?   
 

LJ: By chance. I studied to be a Clinical & Industrial Psychologist (before Simon Sinek and Daniel pink made Industrial Psychology cool). In graduate school, when I was working with training patients, I realised that this was a job that would consume my soul. I didn’t know that my young patients would have experienced such tragic life events, I began to take on their pain. I did, however, learn how to listen to others keenly. These skills have been an enormous advantage for my career in Sales and Marketing. Sometimes my clients would call to simply chat. I also learned to be quite self-aware, which fuelled my determination to be an entrepreneur. I’m a natural risk-taker, and this has been critical to my business success. So, I suppose I used my degree, just not quite as I intended. The sales cycles are quite long, so patience has been invaluable as well.
 

EG: With greater innovation in artificial intelligence and machine learning, do you think that your Active Shooter Technology could revolutionise the face of law enforcement within the next
5 to 10 years? 

 

LJ: Yes, I believe this with my heart and soul. As shootings and violence have escalated disproportionately over the last four years, it will be even more important to focus on homeland security. While solutions vary, AI coupled with surveillance cameras and license plate recognition, delivers affordable solutions that dramatically increase law enforcement intelligence.
Our AI continues to learn and perfect its understanding of the environment over time.
 

EG: How have you been able to remain such a resilient entrepreneur in the face of adversity?  
 

LJ: I have always been one to thrive against all odds. My life is an exciting string of wild stories and experiences. I take action when someone says: YOU CAN’T. 
 

For whatever reason, if I’m challenged by adversity or the attitude that I aim too high, it is like an adrenalin rush to my system. I must prove them wrong. It has served me well (there are many complex issues in the wake of this drive), but it has served me well for the most part.

EG: You are also an award-winning executive within the energy sector. What observations have you made about an individual's commitment to sustainability and their capacity for innovation?

LJ: Collaboration and the ability to bring incredible teams to the table. Talent, talent, talent. I’ve learned that the most innovative people in the room, tend to talk (or boast) the least—you must reach within to capture their genius. They are critical in this fast-moving technological world.   EG

1 Why has gun violence increased in the United States? Academic paper http://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/why-has-gun-violence-increased-in-the-united-states/