In a test of recently acquired gunshot detection technology, the Salinas Police Department conducted live gunfire calibration testing on Wednesday evening, December 14, 2016.
According to the police department, they performed controlled gunfire as part of the testing in a few selected areas of the city.
The tests were completed by 11 p.m. The Salinas Police did not disclose the locations of test gunfire for security reasons, and assured the public that there would be no danger to the community as a result of the testing.
(Learn More, courtesy of KION, ShotSpotter and YouTube)
The ShotSpotter system works by picking up the sound from gunshots on a network of sensors and triangulating the location of the gunfire in real time.
Police expect this will be the final testing prior to ShotSpotter going live.
The Salinas Police Department will evaluate the results of the testing and advise the community once the system is in use.
The department recently teamed with ShotSpotter and one of the company’s employees was available on site during the testing.
(Learn More, ShotSpotter gunfire data enables intelligent analysis. With that, law enforcement can move from the reactive to the proactive. ShotSpotter has been called “a force multiplier” because it provides critical information for better, more timely resource allocation. Courtesy of ShotSpotter and YouTube)
Unfortunately statistics show that often the communities most affected by gunfire are least likely to call it in. With fewer than 1 in 5 shooting incidents reported to 9-1-1, gun crime is vastly underreported.
When 9-1-1 calls are made, the information provided is typically inaccurate. Without knowing exactly where to respond, police waste valuable time and resources driving block by block looking for evidence as criminals escape the scene.
Dispatching officers to an active shooting without all available intelligence is a threat to officer safety and needlessly places the public at risk.
Intelligence-Led Policing
ShotSpotter gunfire data enables intelligent analysis. With that, law enforcement can move from the reactive to the proactive.
ShotSpotter has been called “a force multiplier” because it provides critical information for better, more timely resource allocation — especially important as agencies are being asked to do more with less.
ShotSpotter Flex instantly notifies officers of gunshot crimes in progress with real-time data delivered to dispatch centers, patrol cars and even smart phones. This affordable, subscription-based service enhances officer safety and effectiveness through:
- Real-time access to maps of shooting locations and gunshot audio,
- Actionable intelligence detailing the number of shooters and the number of shots fired,
- Pinpointing precise locations for first responders aiding victims, searching for evidence and interviewing witnesses.
A $1.5 million portion of a $5.5 million California public safety grant received by Salinas in August will pay for three years of the ShotSpotter system.
The city will reevaluate the success of the system after the three years are up.
Salinas police ask for the community to continue to report the sounds of gunfire, even after the system is up and running.
