Gunshot Location System Provides Spot-On Protection -- Security Today

Gunshot Location System Provides Spot-On Protection

By Brent Dirks
Jul 08, 2008

Gunshot location technology is providing a safety net for law enforcement agencies across the country, detecting, pinpointing and alerting police responders to the location of gunfire.

And ShotSpotter’s Gunshot Location System is providing more than just a detection system. In areas where the system has been deployed, law enforcement agencies are reporting a 60 to 80 percent reduction in gunfire and a 35 percent drop in violent crime. More than 680,000 residents across the United States live in the more than 100-square-miles of total area covered by the system.

ShotSpotter recently announced its 30th deployment of its technology in Nassau County, New York. The system provides near real-time notification of gunshot events with audio ID data. Other information, like detailed intelligence and forensic analysis of events, is provided for criminal prosecution and resource planning. The GLS also is designed to integrate with surveillance cameras, dispatching technologies and crime analysis tools.

In San Francisco, police officials said they have been pleased with the results from the system.

“The goal of the ShotSpotter GLS has been to accurately identify the amount of gunfire in San Francisco,” said Lt. Mikail Ali, a senior adviser in the San Francisco police department criminal justice office. “As of May, ShotSpotter sensors have detected and reported 221 percent more gunfire incidents than reported by citizens.”

Ali also said the technology is on average more than two minutes faster than a citizen reporting gunfire.

“I originally conceived of this technology as a tool to aid law enforcement in detecting and locating gunfire in a city near my home,” said ShotSpotter founder and chief scientist Robert Showen. “Seeing the ShotSpotter GLS go from an idea to a system deployed in 30 cities is quite satisfying and shows how useful this tool is to law enforcement agencies. We are proud of our accomplishments, and our growing workforce is quite dedicated to our mission of reducing urban gunfire.”

About the Author

Brent Dirks is senior editor for Security Today and Campus Security Today magazines.

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