ShotSpotter gunshot detection software going to Suffolk communities, police announce

On Monday night in Huntington, the Suffolk County Police Department conducted a community meeting, which was the first of three. After a five-year absence, the department is reintroducing ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection software, in various communities.

The software is set to be installed in Huntington Station, which was selected as one of several Suffolk communities based on prior records of shots-fired incidents as per the department's plan.

In October, the contract worth $1.8 million with ShotSpotter was approved unanimously by the Suffolk County Legislature.

According to law enforcement, ShotSpotter relies on both acoustics and GPS to recognize gunshots and send a notification to the police in a matter of seconds. This technique sends relevant details such as the time of the shooting, the estimated location, and the quantity of shots fired.

During the meeting held at the Second Precinct in Huntington of the police department, Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode emphasized the significance of faster police response to gunfire incidents.

“It’s going to save lives and prevent people from shooting guns," Bode said. "It makes a difference how quickly it takes get aid to the scene.”

In late 2011, ShotSpotter was first introduced in Suffolk. However, County Executive Steve Bellone opted to cut funding for the program in 2018, citing reports from police officials and others who claimed that the technology was not efficient.

In light of technological advancements, the police department was urged by community members to reexamine the use of the tool and the county legislature directed them to do so in April.

Bellone has stated that he modified his stance as a result of progress.

The locations of ShotSpotter sensors are being expanded to include Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Coram, Mastic, North Amityville, North Bellport, and Wyandanch, chosen because these areas have had previous incidents of shots fired.

Suffolk County is regarded as a secure region in the nation; nonetheless, ShotSpotter will serve as an extra measure to discourage firearm-related offenses, according to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison's statement. This technological implementation will support officers in responding to gunfire reports more quickly and accurately, as well as assisting in follow-up investigations.

There are two scheduled meetings for Tuesday, both at 6 p.m., one located at the Suffolk Police Sixth Precinct in Selden and the other at the Brentwood Public Library.

Officials from ShotSpotter announced at Monday's meeting that they have upgraded their technology by installing extra microphones in their sensors, and by reviewing gunshot detection through their own incident review center. As a result, calls can now be relayed to the police within a minute.

According to Kevin Bash, a company representative who previously served as the deputy police chief in Columbus, Ohio, ShotSpotter is operational in 140 cities across the US. The sensors installed have accurately identified 90% of gunshots in the areas covered by the technology.

According to him, the audio technology can identify the origin of gunfire precisely by triangulating the signals received from light poles and buildings equipped with multiple sensors.

Within a minute, patrol cars receive an audio recording of the shooting along with the GPS location and a Google street view.

According to Bash, analysts have the ability to differentiate sounds such as fireworks from gunshots and can also inform the police about the presence of multiple shooters or the usage of automatic and high capacity magazines around a particular location.

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