Shotspotter.com

RustyShackelford · Apr 10, 2014

Have any forum members read or saw any news about the new Shot Spotter system?
www.Shotspotter.com
This advanced system uses acoustic levels to trace/locate gunfire.
The city of Miami FL is looking at a new plan to T&E the Shotspotter to reduce crime in urban areas.
Like "micro-stamping" or "smart guns", I could see a few problems with this program. It seems a bit intrusive too, :uhoh:

. A lot like 1983's hit film; Blue Thunder, www.imdb.com .
The company did R&Ds in Iraq(Bagdad) with + results, so maybe it can help fight crime in major cities like Chicago, Miami, Houston, LA, etc.

Sam1911 · Apr 10, 2014

WestKentucky · Apr 10, 2014

Sounds like a great system that would be very problematic. R&D with military units worked well at finding direction of fire. In real life-no war areas there are too many loud noises that would trigger the system, and because of that it could never reach it's potential. "Poppy" truck exhausts construction tools etc would keep it going crazy if used as an overwatch system which would be the ideal use. Otherwise it would ride around as single units with cops inside the patrol cars doing the same. The only time it would be beneficial is if the cops were ambushed which happens about as often as unicorns and dodos crossbreed. It's a solution to a wartime need, nothing more.

Jorg Nysgerrig · Apr 10, 2014

Sounds like a great system that would be very problematic. R&D with military units worked well at finding direction of fire. In real life-no war areas there are too many loud noises that would trigger the system, and because of that it could never reach it's potential. "Poppy" truck exhausts construction tools etc would keep it going crazy if used as an overwatch system which would be the ideal use.

They claim to have overcome that. Do you have evidence or experience to the contrary?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunfire_locator#Discriminating_gunfire

N003k · Apr 11, 2014

I know the city I work in has a Shotspotter system (Hartford CT). We have a scanner at work that I use at night sometimes...usually hear a few officers a week get dispatched to areas where the system picks up shots...seems more often than not they don't find a single thing, whether that's because it wasn't actual gunfire, or because it was and whoever shot had already left, I don't know.

texasgun · Apr 11, 2014

what EXACTLY is intrusive about that system?

Let me put it this way: You cannot blast away inside city limits (for obvious reasons) ... so a gunshot either is: someone committing a crime (hence quick police response is good) or someone defending themselves from becoming a crime victim (quick police response is good as well) or someone just popping off a few rounds in his backyard inside city limits ....

Twiki357 · Apr 11, 2014

If memory serves me, this type of system was being installed in areas of Los Angeles back in the 1990’s. According to news reports at the time, it did work.

RustyShackelford · Apr 11, 2014

Airships, drones, DV cameras, IR sensors....

I've heard of many R&D programs that started with DoD/DARPA then filtered into CONUS law enforcement/first responders.
Drones/UAVs, blimps(airships), FLIR(forward looking infrared cameras), red light cameras, IRIS systems, etc.
The large city I lived in had a research project using FLIR to locate drug labs/heat signitures. They'd use helicopters to scan houses & buildings then conduct drug raids. This was 1998/1999.
My county sheriff(who retired as a police chief from a large PD) wanted to set up UAVs/drones to fly around but he got a lot of - press over it.

Civil rights activists & those concerned with privacy issues opposed it.

The city of Tampa Florida developed an advanced facial recognition system after 9/11/2001. It worked well at first but generated so much useless & convoluted data the entire system was cut by city officials.
Many cities now have problems maintaining & checking their CCTV/security systems. The DV cameras are either broken or have old batteries.

I'm sure many PDs & city governments would have serious problems with the CCTV/cameras if they conducted audits or reviews.

Rusty

BinRat · Apr 12, 2014

Milwaukee, WI, currently has Shotspotter in a portion of the City and the Police Department considers it a valuable tool. In fact, more money was allocated in January of this year to expand it into another 3 1/2 square mile area.

Ky Larry · Apr 12, 2014

Is this the same system our military has been using?

GlowinPontiac · Apr 13, 2014

I presume that these systems must only be effective in areas where fireworks are banned? I would think that aerial fireworks and large crackers would have the system thinking a full scale war has broke out!

N003k · Apr 13, 2014

You know Pontiac...I actually worked the night of July 4th, and I don't know if they just ignored it, turned it off, or if it's too accurate, but I know they weren't calling out too many that night surprisingly. And although obviously you know the good stuff isn't legal in CT...that doesn't stop too many people from getting that stuff it seems haha.

ElToro · Apr 13, 2014

crime free oakland ca wants to get rid of theirs...FWIW
http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Oakland-cops-aim-to-scrap-gunfire-detecting-5316060.php

Shotspotter.com

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