ARPA Funding: More Money is Available

Fighting Crime With the American Rescue Plan Act

Last year, President Biden provided guidance that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds may be used for “investing in technology and equipment to allow law enforcement to more efficiently and effectively respond to the rise in gun violence resulting from the pandemic.” Later that day, in a speech to the nation, President Biden stated that “Mayors will also be able to buy crime-fighting technologies, like gunshot detection systems, to better see and stop gun violence in their communities.”

In May 2022, the president announced that $10 billion in ARPA funds have been committed to public safety, including $450 million in public safety technology and equipment such as gunshot detection systems.

The majority of cities received the first half of their ARPA during the summer of 2021, and the second half one year later, in the summer of 2022. While the funds need to be expended by the end of 2024, they can be used for projects that continue through December 31, 2026.

If your department is currently brainstorming how to best capitalize on these funds to improve the quality of life in your community, here is a list of products in our SafetySmart™ Platform to consider.

SoundThinking™’s Comprehensive Suite of Public Safety Technology

ShotSpotter® is our flagship gunshot detection technology that alerts police of virtually all gunfire within a city’s ShotSpotter coverage area within 60 seconds, enabling a fast, precise police response that ultimately helps police officers save lives.

CaseBuilder™ Crime Gun is a centralized platform that can import NIBIN leads, identify associated gun crime incidents, prioritizes leads, and track cases so that Crime Gun Intelligence Programs can be more efficient and effective.

CrimeTracer™ is the #1 law enforcement search engine that brings together local, regional, and national data sources into a single pane of glass. Investigators can enter partial license plate or suspect description information and quickly identify persons of interest to solve crimes and improve clearance rates – for any crime.

CaseBuilder™ is a centralized case management system that creates a single, shared digital case folder to document and share information within an agency as well as help supervisors track and report on progress. This system is applicable for all crime types so police can more efficiently manage investigations and create courtroom-ready cases to ultimately share with prosecutors.

ResourceRouter™ is a patrol and analyst tool that automates dynamic patrol location forecasts for all Part 1 crime data across an entire jurisdiction. It is constantly updated and includes precise locations to patrol for each day and each shift, saving analyst and supervisor time and facilitating optimal outcomes even with limited resources.

SoundThinking can help you navigate the critical steps necessary with your local administration and elected officials to secure federal funding as you continue to protect your community.