Situation
The Cape Girardeau Police Department was navigating both a staffing shortage and growing community concern surrounding gunfire. To be more efficient with limited resources, the department turned to technological solutions, including ShotSpotter.
Results
One year after ShotSpotter implementation, the department has seized over a dozen firearms. Several of those have stemmed from incidents where there had been no 9-1-1 call —in fact, the very first arrest of a felon in possession of a firearm was an incident that had not been reported to 9-1-1. In another incident, ShotSpotter made it possible for officers to arrive on scene within minutes after the shot was detected. As they were arriving, they received a report about a suspect vehicle, and because they were already present they were able to immediately spot the vehicle, apprehend the suspect, and recover the firearm.
12
Firearms seized
>300
Shell casings recovered
A third notable incident centered on a homicide committed with a gun fired from more than 150 feet away. With the help of ShotSpotter providing the precise location of the gunfire, the evidence technicians on scene knew exactly where to look for the shell casings.
This increased efficiency—the chief has called ShotSpotter a “force multiplier”— has increased citizen confidence as well.
[ShotSpotter] has been a game changer for us. It’s helped us respond to gunfire faster and more accurately, and get some really bad criminals off our streets.
