Best Practices for Cities and Communities on How to Proactively Address Celebratory Gunfire Threat
NEWARK, Calif., June 29, 2021 – ShotSpotter, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI), a leader in precision policing technology solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate and deter crime, today announced a six-step checklist of best practices to help prevent gunfire in cities across the country.
Fourth of July is the second-busiest holiday of the year for celebratory gunfire following New Year’s Eve, presenting serious safety concerns. A bullet discharged from a gun, even into the sky, must land somewhere. When it does, the risk of injury or death is significant. ShotSpotter and its law enforcement partners have developed a checklist of best practices leveraging its gunfire detection and alert technology to proactively address and curb illegal celebratory gunfire in local communities.
“Celebratory gunfire represents a significant danger to our citizens and the more local law enforcement can proactively educate the community about the risks, the more safely we can celebrate these holidays,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of ShotSpotter. “ShotSpotter provides useful historical data for pre-planning and also enables informed decision-making for faster and more accurate emergency response during the holiday period.”
In Columbus, Ohio this past New Year’s Eve, the police department reported a 13 percent drop in gunfire from 350 ShotSpotter alerts in 2019 to 304 alerts in 2020, during the holiday weekend. The reduction was attributed to sending officers to areas identified through ShotSpotter as celebratory gunfire hotspots in the prior year in order to offer education on the dangers of celebrating by shooting a gun into the air. In addition, the police department’s team distributed and posted informational flyers around the neighborhoods.
Six Best Practices for law enforcement to reduce celebratory gunfire, according to ShotSpotter, include:
#1. Plan Ahead with Historical Data
Examine historical data from holiday periods during prior years to pinpoint high-risk areas for celebratory gunfire.
#2. Educate Your Community
Many people do not understand the dangers of celebratory gunfire. Debunk common myths and explain to the community that a bullet discharged from a gun, even into the sky, must land somewhere. When it does, the risk of injury or death is significant.
#3. Communicate Your Plan
Communicate a zero-tolerance policy with the community by releasing a media alert, social media posts and other notices before the holiday weekend begins. Make sure to explain the urgency of the problem and what tactics will be used in response to gunfire.
#4. Canvas Neighborhoods
Go door-to-door to contact residents in the community, especially in neighborhoods where gunfire took place during the holiday last year.
#5. Leave Door Hangers
If residents aren’t home, leave behind a notice on their door that explains the dangers of celebratory gunfire and provides information about who to contact if gunfire is heard.
#6. Assign Special Units during the Holiday Weekend
To respond to gunfire alerts quickly, assign special police units or overtime cars to hotspot areas. Users of ShotSpotter Respond can track real-time gunshot location data to enable informed decision-making for faster and more accurate emergency response.
About ShotSpotter, Inc.
ShotSpotter (NASDAQ: SSTI) is a leader in precision policing technology solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate and deter crime. The company’s products are trusted by more than 100 U.S. cities to help make their communities safer. The platform includes its flagship product, ShotSpotter Respond™, the leading gunshot detection, location, and forensic system, and ShotSpotter Connect™, patrol management software to dynamically direct patrol resources to areas of greatest risk and more effectively deter crime. ShotSpotter Investigate™ is an investigative case management solution that helps detectives connect the dots and share information more effectively to improve case clearance rates. ShotSpotter also serves the corporate and college security markets and has been designated a Great Place to Work® Company.
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