The Hays County Sheriff’s Office has deployed Revelen.ai’s ShotOptix platform to provide deputies with real-time ballistics intelligence at crime scenes. The AI-powered device allows officers to scan spent cartridge cases and receive investigative leads within minutes, rather than waiting weeks for laboratory results.

The system is designed to identify firearms and establish links to previous shootings, vehicles, or suspects while officers are still on-site. This field-based forensic analysis is intended to prevent suspects from leaving the area before connections to other cases are identified. Hays County, located on the I-35 corridor, often deals with incidents that span multiple jurisdictions.

The deployment is part of a shift toward decentralised forensic intelligence in law enforcement. By using AI to process evidence at the source, smaller agencies can access data that was previously only available through centralised state or federal labs.

“ShotOptix is an AI-powered device the size of a coffee cup that allows officers to scan spent cartridge cases and receive investigative leads in minutes,” said Hays County Sheriff Anthony Hipolito.

The technology aims to improve public safety in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States by accelerating the identification of related criminal activity.