Vancouver

Vancouver's Rogers Arena the First to Test New Weapons Detection System

Fans at Rogers Arena in Vancouver will be the first to be screened using a new radio frequency device intended to detect concealed weapons.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Apr 16, 2019

Fans entering into Rogers Arena in Vancouver will be the first of many to be screened using a new radio frequency device intended to detect concealed weapons. 

Liberty Defense, a Georgia company that manufactures the Hexwave device, is planning to test its solution — which is still in development — later this year or early next year. According to the company's CEO, the device is able to detect and identify metallic and non-metallic objects hidden under clothing or inside bags, anything from firearms, to explosives or knives.

"The system captures 3D objects of interest," Liberty Defense CEO Bill Riker told the CBC. "A handgun, or a cell phone, is being analyzed by the artificial intelligence."

The scanned object is then compared to a database of potentially dangerous items. The system would then alert the security team if there is a match with a possible threat. The alert could be specific, noting what object was identified and where it is on the person, or simply just a red or green light to indicate that a further search is required.

The device is designed to be concealed or placed out in the open.

"You're coming up to an entrance and clearly there's some panels there —  it's up to the facilities to say whether it is an inspection area," Riker said. 

The company identified Rogers Arena as the place to test the product as Francesco Aquilini, the owner of the Vancouver Canucks and Rogers Arena, is involved with Liberty Defense. 

"It's going to be up to the venue on whether or not they actually have people go through it on a voluntary basis, which will enable us, jointly, to get an assessment of what to refine on the system," Riker said.

Once the testing is complete, Riker said he hopes the system is ready to deploy commercially by the summer of 2020.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.