NCJ Number
167027
Date Published
1997
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Tests were conducted in Dallas, TX, and Redwood City, CA, to evaluate the reliability of gunshot location systems and their impact on police response times and workloads.
Abstract
Gunshot location systems are acoustic sensing devices for identifying, discriminating, and reporting gunshots to the police. These systems can be used as rapid response and crime prevention tools. As a rapid response tool, they can reduce reliance on citizen reporting of gunshots and improve arrest probability. As a crime prevention tool, they can target high- risk neighborhoods, create the perception the shooter will be caught, and be moved from one location to another. Tests in Dallas and Redwood City showed the systems were able to detect 80 percent of shots fired. Implications of the test findings for police departments and the allocation of police resources are discussed.