Tech used by Dayton police detects gunshots in less than a minute; How it works

DAYTON — On April 13, two people were hurt after a shooting on Salem Avenue in Dayton, but a 911 call was not what notified police.

Dayton Police were alerted of the shooting in less than one minute by the program known as “ShotSpotter”.

The gunshot detection program places sensors in undisclosed locations around the city.

When a shot is fired, the sensors will mathematically calculate the location of the shot fired by the time difference between each sensor, according to Ron Teachman, director public safety solutions at ShotSpotter.

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When it is determined it is likely gunfire and not a false positive, it will be sent for a human to review at the Incident Review Center staffed with trained acoustic technicians.

After they determine it is in fact a gunshot, It is then sent to local police to be dispatched.

All this happens in less than 60 seconds.

The technology has an accuracy rate of 97 percent Teachman said.

Not only does it allow for officers to get to scenes faster, which could help save lives, but it also helps keep the community safe.

Teachman, a former police chief, said even he was a skeptic.

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“I saw the results and I saw how powerful a tool this is to help the police better serve and protect the community. It saves lives it gets police officers to the scene accurately and immediately,” Teachman said.

Teachman said the program does not mean you shouldn’t call 911 if you hear a gunshot.

He said 80 percent of gunshots heard are not reported by the public.

The software has not only helped Dayton but cities across the country that struggle with gun violence.

Dayton Police Department has said they have seen a 14 percent reduction in violent crimes since using the technology.

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