Automated virtual tripwire placement

One or more computing devices perform a method for placing a virtual tripwire onto grid points of a geocoordinate grid. A device processor directs a camera to capture a series of images within the camera's field of view. The processor identifies objects of interest within the images and determines movements of the objects through the images. The processor identifies directions of travel of the objects and determines variances in those directions of travel. The processor further determines vectors of median direction of travel for vector points corresponding to the objects on the grid. The processor then determines multiple candidate locations for placement of the tripwire across grid points of the grid in a direction approximately orthogonal to the direction of travel of at least one object of interest and automatically selects one of the candidate locations based on the vectors of median direction of travel and the travel direction variances.