Criminals Beware: ShotSpotter Technology Up and Running
That's the actual subhead in a press release from Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans' office. Luckily, the statement redeems itself by presenting some real news (as opposed to the recent "[Kwame] BROWN BAGS IT FOR PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS".)
Residents in Shaw have been begging for ShotSpotter since the dawn of the police listervs, or at least it feels that way. Here's a little sample:
"What bothers me almost as much as the repeated gunfire is that residents (myself included) seem to have gotten so accustomed to hearing it that it may not even get reported. One more reason that we need to get ShotSpotter deployed so that the police aren't dependent on sometimes not-very-precise reports from residents."
Now, apparently, the wait is over.
Evans Welcomes ShotSpotter to Shaw
Criminals Beware: ShotSpotter Technology Up and Running
(Washington, DC) After months of working with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Councilmember Evans would like to inform residents that the long awaited ShotSpotter technology has finally been installed in Shaw.
“On one hand I’m glad to see that ShotSpotter is up and running, but on the other, it’s a terrible situation that we need this technology in and around the Shaw neighborhood,” Evans said. “ShotSpotter is not an end-all to crime prevention. It is another tool our MPD force will have at its disposal to more efficiently identify and respond to criminal activity, and a welcomed tool it is. We’ve added another layer of both eyes and ears to DC’s crime fighting forces on the streets.”
The ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System utilizes technology to detect weapons-fire events over large, complex environments. The technology can be paired with already existing police cameras to make those devices more effective as well. ShotSpotter products range from systems for public safety agencies and 911 dispatch centers (which instantly identify, locate and give a visual of the location of a gunshot event in an urban area) to fully mobile, inter-networked wireless systems for the military that are capable of detecting and locating many types of weapon events in various environments.
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4:18 pm
It seems like only 8 months ago that we saw a nearly identically headlined press release. Is it really here this time? Any idea as to how many people have been shot since we heard our first pledge that it was coming in early 07? Here''s the one from 11/07:
For Release: November 30, 2007
Media Contact:
Sean Metcalf
Director of Communications
Office of Councilmember Jack Evans
smetcalf@dccouncil.us
202-724-8058
ShotSpotter Technology comes to Shaw!
(Washington, DC) Councilmember Jack Evans and staff have worked with Mayor Fenty, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Cathy Lanier, MPD Third District Commander Larry McCoy and constituents to bring ShotSpotter technology to the Third District and to Ward 2.
This innovative technology is yet another technological tool, which will help MPD increase arrests for violent crimes and solve crimes. The technology can also be paired with already existing police cameras to make those devices more effective as well - adding another layer of both eyes and ears to our crime fighting forces on the streets.
"I am very pleased to announce that ShotSpotter technology is coming to Ward 2, and will be deployed in the entire eastern half of the Third District," Evans said. I thank the Mayor and the Chief for being so
responsive to my requests to roll out this technology in Ward 2 as soon as possible, and for working together with me and my staff to make that possible. I am especially glad one of the nodes will be right at 7th
and O Streets, NW."
The District will also upgrade the entire ShotSpotter system in DC, which is already deployed in the 5th, 6th, and 7th police districts, to wireless systems. This upgrade will give the MPD greater flexibility in
deploying the technology, as crime patterns and, statistics help dictate. More information about the ShotSpotter technology can be found
at http://www.shotspotter.com .
5:25 pm
I called Traci Hughes, the MPD spokesperson. I'm trying to get more details. I definitely want to know more as well.