PUBLIC SAFETY SUCCESS STORY

Small Town Embraces Big City Tech to Curb Growing Gun Violence

City
KANKAKEE, IL
Population
26,024
Coverage Area
1 SQ. MI
Product Used
Soundthinking Product Logo
Customer Since
NOVEMBER 2020

Situation

Gun violence in Kankakee, population 26,000, has escalated in recent years. In 2020, there were seven homicides and almost daily reports of shots fired.

Results

The Kankakee police department is one of a growing category of smaller towns deploying ShotSpotter’s acoustic detection technology for preventing and reducing gun violence. Results were almost immediate: Police arrested a suspect in December 2020 after ShotSpotter pinpointed a location where shots had been fired. Officers also recovered a 9 mm handgun nearby, along with shell casings matching the weapon.

59

Shots fired recorded by ShotSpotter in second full month

50%

Reduction in response time to shots-fired scene with ShotSpotter

In a January 2021 case, police credited the technology and quick action of the responding officer for saving the life of a gunshot victim. In four of the six shooting incidents in January, police made arrests or identified suspects. Overall, Kankakee police report they have located victims, evidence and suspects more quickly since introducing ShotSpotter.

How ShotSpotter Benefits Kankakee Police Department
QUICKER RESPONSE TIMES
Officers respond to a shots-fired scene within 3 to 4 minutes, compared to between 7 and 8 minutes prior to Shot- Spotter being deployed.
BOOSTS COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE
City officials and community members have been extremely concerned by increased gun violence. ShotSpotter “makes a statement” that the police are being proactive.
BETTER EVIDENCE LINKING CRIMES
Rapid scene response has led to better recovery of shell casings, which have been linked to other crimes through forensic analysis.

To learn more about our SafetySmart Platform, click here

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