THIS IS A DIRECT REPOST FROM THE SACRAMENTO SHERIFF’s OFFICE MEDIA RELASE
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce its ongoing and growing partnership with ShotSpotter. Since 2018, the ShotSpotter technology has been active within specific areas of south Sacramento County. As of yesterday, an expansion of the coverage area has been deployed in two distinct areas of north Sacramento County, Watt and Roseville Road and the area around Howe Park in the north central part of the county; both communities have historically been plagued by gun violence.
The ShotSpotter technology detects gunfire, through a series of strategically placed microphones, and notifies dispatchers and deputies of the location in real-time. The real-time digital alerts include a precise geographical location such as the address, number of rounds fired and the type of gunfire. This technology significantly reduces the 9-1-1 notification time as it can be difficult for community members to differentiate the sound of gunfire as opposed to similar sounds. It also alleviates the occurrence a community member is either too afraid to call and report or doesn’t call because they feel someone else has reported it.
This technology greatly improves emergency response times getting deputies to the area in a tactically safe manner to assist the affected community and/or victims of gun violence. It also increases the likely hood of preserving and collecting evidence as well as apprehending suspects.
During the system installation process occurring August 1, 2021 to September 22, 2021, the expansion system recorded 146 discharged rounds in 56 separate ShotSpotter gunfire incidents. The 56 activations included 12 incidents with single gunshots, 36 incidents with multiple gunshots, and eight events of probable gunfire. Citizens generated twenty-four 9-1-1 calls to the sheriff’s office during this same time frame / location or less than half of the legitimate instances of gunfire. The ShotSpotter expansion will be a game changer for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the community in holding those engaged in gun violence accountable.
