Mangano & Krumpter Announce Dramatic Decrease In Number Of Shots Fired In ShotSpotter Zone

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter announced today that the ShotSpotter System has helped reduce the number of shots fired in the Roosevelt/Uniondale area by 94 percent.

For the time period beginning on January 1, 2010 and ending on March 12, 2010 there were 117 in zone and 17 out of zone instances in which the ShotSpotter system detected confirmed shots fired in the Roosevelt/Uniondale area. For the same period in 2011, the system detected one in zone and seven out of zone instances of shots fired.

“ShotSpotter is an excellent tool that our police officers have used effectively and efficiently to reduce the shots fired in the Uniondale/Roosevelt area astronomically,” said County Executive Mangano. “This system and our officers have helped improve the quality of life enjoyed by our Roosevelt and Uniondale residents.”

“Utilizing the intelligence gathered by our state of the art gunshot location system and the expertise of our law enforcement officers we have been able to make a tremendous impact in the Roosevelt/Uniondale area,” said Acting Police Commissioner Krumpter. “The immediate notification and response by our officers has served as a great deterrent. Everyone knows that the moment a gun is fired in the ShotSpotter zone our officers are on their way.”

ShotSpotter went live in the Uniondale/Roosevelt area on July 23, 2009 and is the world leader in gunshot location systems for public safety, homeland security and the military. The system which is available to our officers in their patrol cars was paid for with asset forfeiture funds and accurately detects, pinpoints and alerts our police responders to the locations of gunfire and other explosive events. In other cities where it is deployed, the information provided by the ShotSpotter GLS has been credited with reducing gunfire rates by nearly 60 to 80 percent and violent crime by up to 40 percent.

How ShotSpotter works: The ShotSpotter system sensors are calibrated to listen for the unique acoustic fingerprint of gunfire. When gunfire events occur, sensors triangulate and locate the gunshot’s point of origin to within 25 meters (82ft.). The system records the number of shots fired, whether the shooter was stationary or moving, and provides essential audio playback of each gunshot event.

This information provides situational awareness for our law enforcement officers prior to arriving at the crime scene and invaluable evidence for post crime analysis. Additionally, we know the nearest street address and whether the gunshot came from the front or side of a building. Tactically, this is significant as it helps our officers respond faster and gives them a specific area to search for potential evidence, question witnesses, and in the event a victim is found; ensure that medical attention is timely. Most importantly, this system improves both the safety of the community at large and of our responding officers.