Victorville police have started using gunshot detection technology in two of the city’s neighborhoods to address underreported firearm violations, officials said earlier this month.
SpotShotter technology was deployed in the Brentwood/Hook and Old Town/Midtown areas, which have most of the city’s gun-related incidents, according to a city statement July 14. The acoustic system detects gunfire, then within seconds triangulates its location in an effort to hasten police and emergency medical response. Officials expect the technology to improve the success rates for criminal investigation and improve patient outcomes.
Victorville is the first city in San Bernardino County to implement gunfire detection technology, officials said.
ShotSpotter was first used in June and has helped the Victorville Police Department solve three gun-related incidents that were not reported to 911. On average, fewer than 20% of gunfire incidents are reported to 911 nationwide
“The city of Victorville is investing in advanced technologies to increase the effectiveness of our law enforcement for a safer Victorville,” Mayor Liz Becerra said in a statement. “We’re giving our public safety personnel the equipment they need to be more proactive, quicker to respond, and better able to investigate and solve crimes.”
Officials described ShotSpotter as a gunfire recognition, analysis and alert system that determines if multiple weapons are involved, weapon types and the location of the gunfire to inform law enforcement’s tactical response and investigation.
“ShotSpotter is a beneficial tool that is helping our deputies solve crime quicker and take guns off the street,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Jerry Davenport, head of the Victorville Police Department, said in a statement. “Many gunshots go unreported, and the reports we do receive typically have incorrect locations, so this technology is helping us step up our game.”
Victorville implemented ShotSpotter shortly after establishing a network of 123 automatic license plate readers, which officials said are helping deputies locate suspects and solve crimes faster.
The city plans to launch a public safety drone program next, officials said.
“The intelligence gathered through these crime-fighting technologies will be captured in the city’s planned real-time crime center,” according to the city statement.
The city and SoundThinking Inc. agreed to a three-year, $470,000 contract for the police department’s access to ShotSpotter, officials said. Funding was from the state Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funds program under Assembly Bill 3229.
