Beyond the Walls: The Business Case for Securing the New Perimeter

ROWLEY, Mass. – December 08, 2025 – A recent award for an outdoor gunshot detection system highlights a critical and expensive blind spot for modern enterprises: the parking lot. For years, businesses have fortified their interiors with access control and surveillance, but a growing body of evidence shows the first shots of an active threat are often fired long before a perpetrator reaches the front door. This "protection gap" is now at the forefront of corporate security strategy, driven by technological innovation and a sober reassessment of risk.

Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company, recently saw its new outdoor detection system honored by security industry professionals, signaling a market shift toward proactive, perimeter-level threat intelligence. The win validates a technology designed not merely to react to a crisis, but to reshape the timeline of an emergency response. For business leaders, this isn't just about new hardware; it's about extending the concept of duty of care beyond the building's walls and leveraging integrated technology to protect people, assets, and business continuity in an era of evolving threats.

The Widening Threat Landscape

The uncomfortable truth for any organization is that its responsibility for safety does not begin at the lobby turnstiles. It begins where employees park their cars, where visitors gather at entrances, and where deliveries are made. Data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) paints a stark picture: in 2023, a staggering 58% of active shooter incidents occurred in open spaces. This is a significant increase from previous years and confirms a trend that security experts have warned about for some time. The perimeter is no longer a buffer zone; it is the new frontline.

These outdoor incidents create a unique and complex challenge. Without dedicated detection, the first alert often comes from a panicked 911 call, which can be delayed, inaccurate, and lacking crucial details like the shooter's location or the type of weapon used. This ambiguity costs first responders precious minutes, while a shooter may be moving toward or into a facility unimpeded.

From a business perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant liability. In the aftermath of an incident, questions about foreseeability and preparedness are inevitable. Failing to address known risks in high-traffic outdoor areas like corporate campuses, hospital ambulance bays, transportation hubs, and event venues can have devastating legal and financial consequences, not to mention the irreparable damage to an organization's reputation and the profound human cost. The market is responding to this reality, with the outdoor segment of the gunshot detection market now commanding the highest revenue share and projected to maintain its dominance.

A Dual-Sensor Answer to Outdoor Complexity

Detecting a gunshot in a controlled indoor environment is one challenge; distinguishing it from a car backfiring, a firework, or construction noise in a sprawling, open-air setting is another entirely. This is where technological differentiation becomes critical. SDS Outdoor, for instance, builds on the company's military-grade indoor technology by employing a dual-mode sensor system that analyzes both acoustic and infrared data.

When a gun is fired, it produces a distinct acoustic "bang" and a corresponding muzzle flash that emits a signature in the infrared spectrum. By requiring both signals to be present simultaneously, the system can filter out false alarms with remarkable precision, boasting a 99.9% accuracy rate. This dual-mode approach, a first of its kind for outdoor applications, was developed in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate, lending it significant federal validation.

Each sensor provides coverage for up to 15,700 square feet, identifying not only the shot but also providing vital intelligence on the shooter's location and the firearm type. This immediate, actionable data is the core value proposition. Instead of relying on delayed human reports, security teams and law enforcement can receive instantaneous, machine-verified alerts that pinpoint the threat. This capability was highlighted in a case study presented at the GSX 2025 security conference, where the system reportedly helped law enforcement swiftly resolve an active shooting and make an arrest in a situation with no witnesses or other physical evidence.

The Power of the Platform: From Alert to Automated Response

The true business impact of advanced threat detection lies not in the sensor itself, but in its ability to act as a central nervous system for a facility's entire security apparatus. A standalone detector that simply flashes a light is a missed opportunity. Modern systems like SDS Outdoor are designed as "cornerstone technologies" that integrate deeply into a broader security platform, such as the one offered by its parent company, Alarm.com.

This integration transforms a simple gunshot alert into a cascade of automated, pre-programmed actions. Upon detection, the system can instantly:

• Trigger Video Surveillance: The platform can automatically call up live video feeds from cameras nearest the incident, providing immediate visual confirmation for security personnel and first responders without needing to manually search for the right camera.
• Initiate Access Control Protocols: The system can automatically initiate a building lockdown, securing exterior doors to prevent a shooter from gaining entry or locking down specific interior zones to guide occupants toward safe areas.
• Activate Mass Notification: Alerts can be pushed out simultaneously across multiple channels—SMS, email, desktop pop-ups, and public address systems—providing clear, consistent instructions to everyone on site.
• Communicate with First Responders: The system can send critical data, including maps with the shooter's precise location, directly to 911 dispatch centers and responding officers, dramatically improving situational awareness and reducing response times.

This platform-centric approach maximizes the return on a company's existing security investments. It turns passive infrastructure like cameras and door locks into active participants in an emergency response. For business leaders, this means creating a more resilient organization capable of a faster, more effective, and less chaotic response that protects lives and mitigates operational disruption.

Market Validation in a Growing Field

The global gunshot detection market is on a steep growth trajectory, projected to reach nearly $2.4 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 12.7%. This expansion is fueled by a growing awareness of active threats and a demand for more proactive security measures. Within this competitive field, which includes established players like SoundThinking (formerly ShotSpotter) and Raytheon, peer recognition serves as a powerful market signal.

SDS's recent Readers’ Choice Award from SecurityInfoWatch.com is significant because the voters are the security professionals who specify, install, and use these systems daily. As Kendra Noonan, Director of Communications at SDS, noted, the award “reinforces our mission to deliver trusted, actionable intelligence that empowers security teams and first responders to detect gunfire incidents with speed and accuracy when every second counts.” It represents a vote of confidence from the front lines, indicating that the technology is not only innovative but also practical, reliable, and addresses a real-world need.

As the market matures, the focus is shifting from one-off hardware sales to recurring revenue models, including subscription services that provide ongoing software updates, maintenance, and support. This aligns with the broader "as-a-service" trend in enterprise technology, allowing businesses to adopt sophisticated security capabilities as an operational expense rather than a massive capital expenditure. For companies like SDS, this model ensures a continuous relationship with the customer and a steady stream of revenue, while for the customer, it guarantees access to the latest technological advancements in a rapidly evolving security landscape. This shift underscores that advanced threat detection is no longer seen as a niche product, but as an essential, ongoing service for responsible organizations.