Jody Allen Crowe, a former school administrator, is trying to sell a ceiling-mounted safety system that he and his partners say can instantly disorient and temporarily disable an intruder the moment that person steps into a building. The Minneapolis-based setup, which uses a water-based irritant called REPULS, is pitched as a way to buy precious minutes for staff and first responders during an active-shooter situation. The idea has drawn attention from hospitals and some public agencies, along with a steady stream of safety and legal questions.
As reported by WSMV on March 30, 2026, Crowe is the inventor behind the technology and describes himself as a former educator who developed the concept after years of studying school shootings. WSMV notes that the company claims the system can “incapacitate an assailant” after they enter a school, a selling point that is being heavily marketed to school districts and security teams.
How SentriZone and REPULS work
According to Crotega, the company brands its building-level package as SentriZone and says it deploys REPULS, a water-based chemical irritant, through ceiling-mounted nozzles or via a remotely operated vehicle called SentriLaunch. The company claims REPULS triggers involuntary eye closure and intense irritation at the point of contact while limiting how much of the irritant lingers on surfaces or in the air. Crotega’s materials state that the system can be run from a touchscreen interface and that the product has been moving through patents and pilot programs since 2014.
Hospitals and police have already tested it
The Star Tribune reported in November 2023 that several Minnesota hospitals adopted REPULS after trial use, with some facilities logging dozens of deployments to subdue violent patients or visitors. That reporting notes that REPULS relies on propionic acid, described as a food-grade chemical, and that hospital security staff said the irritant dissipates quickly and can be washed off with water. The Star Tribune also identified health systems including Allina Health and HealthPartners as buyers of the spray for security personnel.
Regulatory approvals and pilots
An Arizona Supreme Court administrative directive issued in September 2023 lists REPULS as an approved chemical spray for both court and probation officers. Minutes from the Official Committee on Probation in August 2023 also record that Phoenix police had piloted the product for more than a year, according to those state documents.
Safety debate and practical limits
Critics warn that releasing a chemical irritant from a building’s ceiling brings serious practical and ethical questions, including the likelihood of bystanders being hit and whether such a system can coexist with fire-safety regulations. CBS Minnesota reported in 2018 that fire codes bar tying this kind of system into existing sprinkler lines and estimated that a full-school installation could run in the six-figure range. Supporters answer that REPULS is used in targeted bursts and dissipates quickly, which they argue lowers the risk of widespread contamination compared with traditional pepper spray, a point hospital security officials made to the Star Tribune.
What schools would have to weigh
Any district that looks at SentriZone would have to navigate procurement hoops, intensive staff training, building retrofits, likely pushback from unions and parents, and thorny civil-liability concerns. The manufacturer publishes white papers and training materials that are aimed squarely at those worries. According to Crotega, the company offers deployment protocols and insurance-oriented analyses to help agencies think through risk. A school board interested in piloting ceiling-based suppression would almost certainly insist on independent testing and a legal review before signing off…