Montgomery police credit ShotSpotter in arrests
The Montgomery Advertiser
September, 16, 2009
By Ashley Hopkinson
MONTGOMERY, AL - Montgomery police are crediting quicker response times in some areas of the city to the success of a high-tech crime-fighting device that pinpoints and alerts officers to gunfire.
The ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection system has been up and running for a few months, but department officials said it already is making a difference in day-to-day operations.
"Overall, it is very helpful," said Capt. Otis Perkins, who works in the MPD's patrol division. "We can't be everywhere at all times, and this is another tool that we can use that will not only help us in apprehending suspects but also in deterring crime."
The system cost $200,000, and there is an annual fee of $30,000.
Three suspects have been arrested with the help of ShotSpotter, Perkins said. The arrests were made in late July and early August, and the data from the system likely will serve as evidence in court, he added.
The ShotSpotter system, which is used in 45 cities across the U.S., works by detecting sonic shock waves created by gunshots. Once gunshots are read by the system, it then triangulates the location and reports it to the 911 call center that dispatches police.
Perkins said, on average, it takes about two or three minutes between finding out about the gunshots and police reporting to the scene.
"It's definitely an investigation tool ... and we are able to pinpoint the areas a little bit better, whereas in the past we only knew general areas," Perkins said.
Unlike a call from a resident who is typically unsure about the origin of a shot, the ShotSpotter pinpoints the precise location through a GPS device, allowing police to arrive to an address within minutes of an alert, he said.
"The speed of the device is valuable, but when used in combination with resident calls, it helps officers put answers together faster and also helps save lives," Perkins said.
Once authorities receive a corresponding alert from the ShotSpotter and residents in or around the area, Perkins said it allows them to make more concrete decisions on when and where to add more patrol cars or set up an undercover operation.
That's one of the major benefits of the system, said Gregg Rowland, senior vice president for ShotSpotter, especially in tough economic times when police have to make the best use of limited resources.
Rowland said the ShotSpotter exists for one main reason -- to provide law enforcement with details that could lead to the arrest of people and to warn officers in the area.
"We're trying to give as much information to the investigative officers as possible and really quickly (tell them) what happened," he said.
The system also detects weapon size, the number of rounds fired, the number of shooters and the direction the shooters were traveling in, Rowland said.
It also knows the sound difference among firecrackers, tires popping, gunfire and explosions -- a feature that Perkins said helps police a great deal in their work.
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ShotSpotter contact |
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Erin Lopez |
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