Minneapolis Police are implementing a new tool to help reduce gun violence in the city. The ShotSpotter™ Gunshot Location System is an automatic gunfire detection system which pinpoints the location of shots fired. Using an array of small sensors in locations throughout the city, ShotSpotter™ can detect and locate gunshots in seconds, automatically enabling 911 personnel to dispatch police to the scene for a gunshot event far quicker than with any other method.
Until now, Minneapolis Police and other local law enforcement agencies have had to rely on traditional street interdiction to prevent gun violence. This is a dangerous task, which can put the safety of the public and police officers at risk. Uncertainty as to the exact location of the shots increases the risk to responding officers, and complicates the task of responding to the right place in a timely fashion. Gunfire and weapon-fire detection systems can accurately determine the location of gunfire and transmit that information to the police within seconds, thereby speeding police response, saving lives, taking more guns off the street and increasing the level of safety in our neighborhoods.
When ShotSpotter™ is up and operational, a gunshot fired within the city’s coverage area will immediately trigger an alert to the Minneapolis Emergency Communication Center (911). 911 will then be able to quickly dispatch officers to the location of the gunfire. The system can distinguish between gunshots and other loud explosive sounds, like fireworks or cars backfiring, reducing the number of false alarms that police have to respond to.
The project was spearheaded by Minneapolis Police Inspector Scott Gerlicher, Third Precinct Commander. According to Gerlicher, “The project has strong community support. Experience from other cities where the ShotSpotter™ is deployed has demonstrated that officers respond more quickly to incidents of reported gun fire, knowing that they are responding to an actual gun fire event.”
ShotSpotter™ has successfully deployed gunshot location systems in several other cities nationwide including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Charleston, and Rochester (New York). Rochester officials were surprised when the system detected over 100 incidents in its first week of operation alone, compared to an average of 27 citizen reports per week. Other cities, including Gary, Indiana and Redwood City, California, credit the system with boosting their gun seizures to record levels.
Installation crews are currently at work in several neighborhoods across the city. The entire system is expected to be installed and operational by the end of this year. The system is designed to allow for relatively easy expansion, both in terms of coverage area and capability.
While ShotSpotter™ may prove to be a valuable law enforcement tool, its implementation should not discourage residents from calling 911 if they think they hear gunfire. No technology can replace an alert and engaged citizenry, and this system is no exception. As with any other potential threat to public safety, don’t assume that others, be they your neighbors or ShotSpotter™, are making the call. Everyone should continue to call 911 to report shots fired.