Albuquerque Police Department Reports 47% Decrease in Gunshots in One Neighborhood After Implementing Proactive Program

APD, in partnership with investigators at the Crime Lab and the Real Time Crime Center, launched a new pilot initiative called the ShotSpotter Hotspot Organized Tracking program (known as the S.H.O.T. program) to proactively address gun violence in a Southeast Albuquerque neighborhood with a high number of ShotSpotter gunshot detections.

APD sent a general letter that went to residents in the immediate area who were directly being affected by the frequent gunshots letting them know that the police were aware of the concerns and committed to addressing the gun violence. A separate letter was then sent to locations identified by ShotSpotter where the shots were originating and warned of the consequences of people firing guns.

The department also printed and handed out 350 signs to individuals to be placed in yards and in front of homes, urging neighbors to report gun crimes in the area as a community effort to assist APD. Follow-up investigative work was then conducted by detectives as well as DIVRT (Digital Image and Recovery Team) who canvassed the area and looked for video evidence/surveillance of gun crimes.

The program has also led to a collaborative effort with members of the community. Since the pilot program began in the Southeast, residents in both the Northeast and Northwest Area Commands have reached out to the department to provide helpful information on hotspot areas in their neighborhoods. These are neighborhoods where ShotSpotter devices are not in place, but the open communication helps expand the effort.