DEPARTMENT: POLICE
DEPARTMENT HEAD: ANTHONY L. TREVIÑO
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: CITYWIDE
SUMMARY:
Briefing on Gunshot Recognition Devices Pilot Program
BACKGROUND:
Public safety organizations continuously search for ways to improve their ability to gather and track crime data in an effort to improve service to citizens. Gun violence, and associated gunfire, is among the top concerns of any law enforcement agency. Gunfire is said to be under reported due to citizens being hesitant to contact the police, or mistakenly assuming other individuals will notify law enforcement. It is likely most law enforcement agencies do not have accurate information regarding the number of gunfire incidents within their jurisdiction as there is not a way to track gunfire incidents which are not reported by citizens. One means to overcome such under reporting issues is the use of technology which can help law enforcement identify, locate, and report instances of gunfire. By utilizing technology to assist in this way, the under reporting due to relying on citizen reports is minimized and the agency's ability to respond to and track gunfire incidents is maximized.
There are currently two companies that focus on gunshot recognition in various cities around the country. The companies are ShotSpotter and SENTRI. Each provides the capability to monitor areas that have gun shots; ShotSpotter is the larger of the two. The sensors detect explosive events and, by means of triangulation, fix on the position of the event. The data is transmitted to a central monitoring facility where a ShotSpotter technician reviews and analyzes the information. If gunshot(s) are confirmed/detected the central monitoring system will inform/Dispatch SAPD. The alerts can be sent to our communications center and thus have officers dispatched, or it could be sent to the in-car laptops so officers nearby the incident could respond.
SENTRI's system consist of individual units with incorporated cameras. When a gunshot is detected, the camera swings around and records activity in the area of the gunshot and notifies the Dispatch Center. The police department would then dispatch an officer to the scene.
Currently, there are no cities in the state of Texas that are utilizing any of these devices within their city limits. Cities such as Washington D.C. and Oakland, California are currently utilizing ShotSpotter. New York City recently announced they will utilize ShotSpotter covering 17 square miles within the city.
NEXT STEPS:
The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), the Finance Department, and the Office of Management and Budget will work together to put together a Request for Offer (RFO). The solicitation will be utilized to gather the best possible offer for a pilot program. SAPD has identified two areas within San Antonio, which are located on the east and west sides of town. Both areas have been identified to have the highest concentration of shootings within the city. Once the proposals have been submitted, the departments will work together to gather a cost estimate for the pilot program. SAPD will present to the City Council as part of the mid-year budget adjustment. If approved, SAPD will work to negotiate the contract and produce a timeline for completion and start of the pilot program.
RECOMMNEDATION:
SAPD requests the department release an RFO and provide to City Council a cost for the Gunshot Recognition Device Pilot Program during the mid-year budget adjustment in May 2015.