Surety Business adds DIY gunshot detection for small businesses

By AI, Created 10:53 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Surety Business is now offering Shooter Detection Systems by Alarm.com through a self-installed, month-to-month model aimed at small and mid-sized organizations. The move brings enterprise-grade indoor gunshot detection to customers that have typically faced higher upfront costs and long contracts.

Why it matters: - Small and mid-sized organizations can now buy indoor gunshot detection without a traditional dealer install or multi-year contract. - The change lowers the barrier to an emergency-safety tool that has mostly been limited to larger buyers and professionally managed deployments. - Grant-eligible groups may also have a new path to funding and hardware rebates.

What happened: - Surety Business announced that it now offers AI-powered gunshot detection from Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) by Alarm.com. - The service is available nationwide through Surety Business’s self-installed, self-managed, month-to-month model. - The target market includes small and mid-sized organizations. - More information is available in the company’s announcement.

The details: - SDS by Alarm.com is described as the only indoor gunshot detection system with the highest level of U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Certification. - Each sensor uses an acoustic microphone to detect the blast and an infrared sensor to detect the muzzle flash. - Both signals must trigger at the same time before the system sends an alert. - The system is designed to deliver a 99.99% accuracy rate and fewer than one false alert per five million service hours. - Alerts go out within half a second after a gunshot is detected. - Automated responses can start video recording, lock doors, send mass notifications and dispatch emergency services through professional monitoring. - The sensors use a single PoE cable for power and communication. - Each sensor covers up to 2,500 square feet of indoor space without line-of-sight to the event. - The starter kit includes two sensors, a handheld tester and a cellular connector for dual-path communication. - SDS can work as a stand-alone deployment or integrate with an existing Surety Business security system. - Events appear in the Alarm.com dashboard alongside other sensors and cameras. - For qualifying K-12 institutions, SDS includes an additional hardware rebate of about 15% on top of grant support.

Between the lines: - Surety Business is trying to move a system that was usually sold through traditional dealers into a DIY channel. - The company is betting that self-installation and purchase-based pricing will appeal to organizations that want lower upfront complexity and more control over ongoing costs. - The product positioning also suggests a push into higher-risk but budget-sensitive verticals such as schools, retail, hospitality and faith-based buildings.

What’s next: - Surety Business is offering sensor layout consultations for organizations that want to evaluate coverage. - The company is also pointing eligible customers to federal grant programs, including the STOP School Violence Program, Preparing for Active Shooter Situations and the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. - Organizations interested in deployment can request help through the sensor layout consultation page.

The bottom line: - Surety Business is making enterprise-style gunshot detection easier to buy, install and budget for, especially for smaller organizations that have been priced out of traditional security contracts.