Minneapolis to Deploy Only Commercially Proven Gunshot Location System
Cities Across America to Look to ShotSpotter to Help Stop Gun Violence
Minneapolis, MN – September 5, 2006 – ShotSpotter, Inc., the world leader in gunshot location systems and technology for public safety and the military, today announced that the ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System (GLS) is now being deployed in Minneapolis.
Using an array of small sensors in locations throughout the city, the ShotSpotter GLS 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.
“ShotSpotter’s Gunshot Location System will reduce gunshot-related injuries and deaths, and allow officers to increase arrests and get illegal guns off the streets” said Minneapolis Chief of Police Timothy Dolan.
The project was spearheaded by Minneapolis Police Inspector Scott Gerlicher, Precinct Commander, Third Precinct, in an effort to address the 22% increase over last year of incidents of police officers being dispatched to investigate shots fired. Until now, local law enforcement agencies have relied on traditional street interdiction to prevent gun violence. This is a dangerous task, as it often puts the safety of the public and police officers at risk. The right technology can reduce this risk.
Now, with ShotSpotter, if a gunshot is fired within the City’s coverage area, the ShotSpotter GLS system will immediately notify the Minneapolis Emergency Communication Center (MECC) which will then be able to quickly dispatch officers to the location of the gunfire event.
“ Minneapolis has chosen to be one of the first customers to deploy our newest wireless Metro GLS system which features our greatest sensitivity, accuracy and flexibility”, stated Gregg Rowland, ShotSpotter’s SVP of Sales and Marketing. “We are very excited about the impact our system will have on their crime reduction initiatives.”
According to Gerlicher, “The project had strong community support. Experience from other cities where the ShotSpotter GLS is deployed has demonstrated that officers respond more quickly to incidents of reported gunfire, knowing that they are responding to an actual gunfire event.”
The ShotSpotter implementation will also allow public safety personnel to rapidly respond to homeland security crises, with information about the exact location of weapons discharges. Now the City can maximize the efforts of the police department and take the first step in revitalizing gun violence/crime-impacted neighborhoods by providing a safe environment and enhancing the livability of the whole community.
Jana Metge , a citizen activist who lives in a neighborhood where ShotSpotter is being installed, commented “It really instills hope in folks: we’ve been through a lot, living here these past 10 years 24-7”.
ShotSpotter GLS enjoys exclusive advantages over other technologies.
- Superior Experience – The ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System is the only system proven in the field, with measurable results everywhere it has been deployed, and has been active in over a dozen cities around the country, some for as long as 9 years. Cities in which the system is deployed have seen a marked decrease in gunfire – anywhere from 32% ( North Charleston , SC ) to 75% ( Redwood City, CA ) depending on length of deployment.
- Open Integration – ShotSpotter works with virtually any camera manufacturer, system provider or integrator. The cameras can be located anywhere within a coverage area, and do not need to be co-located with gunshot sensors. ShotSpotter systems can control and “point” multiple cameras, including those already installed for various surveillance purposes.
- Reporting and Archiving Capability – ShotSpotter provides the only systems which deliver live audio of gunshot events to investigators. The new ShotSpotter video-integrated system automatically stores audio records of events as well, providing investigators virtual “eyes and ears” for use for apprehension and as evidence at trial.
ShotSpotter, Inc. provides wireless and wired gunshot detection and location systems to public safety organizations and the military. All ShotSpotter solutions use the same core ShotSpotter GLS technologies which filter out the echoes that cripple competitive systems when they are deployed in urban environments. Utilizing ShotSpotter’s patented technologies, the system can be set to filter in or out “non-threat” events (such as firecrackers, car backfires, etc.).
About ShotSpotter, Inc., (www.shotspotter.com)
ShotSpotter, Inc., the leading developer of gunshot location systems and technology, is based in Santa Clara, CA. ShotSpotter’s flagship product, which detects gunfire across large urban areas using a small number of inexpensive and easy-to-deploy sensors, currently protects the citizens of cities nationwide, from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC. Its products recently assisted the FBI and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in identifying and capturing the Columbus, OH highway sniper suspect. In 2000, ShotSpotter was honored for its technology vision and leadership when got won the Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate Award, having been nominated by William H. Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corporation, and the Smithsonian added its technology to the museum’s permanent collection. With technology covered by numerous patents, the company also offers products to the law enforcement, homeland security and military markets. ShotSpotter technology has consistently produced arrests and weapons confiscations nationwide and has helped reduce gunfire and crime rates in cities that deploy it.
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