AST June 2018 Magazine Volume 24 | Page 19

Volume 24 That is where ShotSpotter, a competitor in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program, comes in as a technology that many agencies call a “force multipli- er” or game changer.” June 2018 Edition ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection and alert- ing service for police departments that uses sophisticated acoustic sensors throughout a coverage area to detect, locate and alert agen- cies about gunfire incidents in real-time. The digital alerts provide patrol officers with notifica- tion of gunfire in less than 60 seconds with a precise location on a map (latitude/longitude) and critical data such as number of rounds fired, number of shooters, and whether high-caliber weapons are being used data is delivered to a smartphone or police vehicle laptop. This data-driven policing approach drives smarter deployment tactics and protects officers with in- creased tactical awareness. (Hear from police agencies and mayors directly as they explain how ShotSpotter is working in their communities.) What is ShotSpotter? It also enables law enforcement agencies to bet- ter connect with their communities and bolsters their mission to protect and serve. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection and alerting service using acoustic sensors to detect, locate and alert agencies about gunfire incidents in real-time. 17