ShotSpotter technology deployed to Minneapolis

Published 6 September 2006

Sensors immediately tell police the exact location of a fired shot; technology based on acoustic detection of muzzle blasts; data to aid criminal prosecutions

A few months ago we reported about Santa Clara, California-based ShotSpotter, a developer of gunshot location systems and technologies. At the time it had inked a $9.4 million equity investment deal with a group led by City Light Capital and Claremont Creek Ventures. We also noted that it had recently merged with Atlanta, Georgia-based Centurist Systems, which owned a key piece of intellectual property required to bring ShotSpotter to market. These efforts, we happily report, have paid off. The company announced this week that it had installed its ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System (GLS) throughout the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ShotSpotter’s gunshot location technology is based on acoustic detection of muzzle blast and, depending on the circumstances, the sound of the projectile while it travels. The advantage here is that acoustic techniques do not require the shooter to be located in the field of view of a sensor, and thus can cover a much larger area than an optical system. Unlike counter sniper systems, however, ShotSpotter systems can detect gunfire which is not fired toward the sensors because they use muzzle blasts which radiate in all directions.

Immediately after the sensors detect a shot, GLS notifies the Minneapolis Emergency Communication Center. The hope is to save time and lives by quickly dispatching officers to the correct location. All gunshots and asociated data are saved in a computer for use at trial.

-read more in this company news release