Wilmington Police Department Implements SST, Inc.’s ShotSpotter Flex℠ Gunfire Alert and Analysis Service to Enhance Public Safety Response & Crime Intelligence

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Wilmington Police Department Leveraging Gun Crime Data and Strategic Policing Initiatives to Reduce Gun Violence in its Communities

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Wilmington, N.C. Police Department and SST Inc., the world leader in wide-area acoustic surveillance, and gunshot detection and location technology, announced today that the Wilmington Police Department has implemented SST’s ShotSpotter Flex℠ solution to support its proactive policing strategies and deployments, in its ongoing commitment to improve the safety, security and quality of life for its residents by ridding the city of gun crime and gun violence.

The gunfire data and intelligence provided by ShotSpotter Flex is critical to supporting the Wilmington Police Department’s policing and enforcement efforts across all areas of their operations. Not only does it enable the Police Department to respond faster and more safely to gunfire incidents, but the solution also allows the police to proactively develop effective problem-oriented, data-driven policing strategies and tactical deployments. Additionally, Wilmington Police Department will now be able to gather more detailed gunfire incident information and forensic evidence for investigations and analysis, resulting in increased prosecutions for gun-related crime, and the data will enhance crime analysis and predictive policing capabilities, leading to improved public safety and security.

“We are committed to maintaining the safe environment and quality of life of this city by sending the message to the Wilmington community that gun violence will not be tolerated,” said Wilmington Police Chief Ralph M. Evangelous. “The ShotSpotter Flex solution provides us instant and accurate gunfire detections and locations so we can arrive on the scene within minutes, gather evidence quickly, and use the gunfire incident data to increase arrests and prosecutions. Our efforts to reduce gun violence and illegal gun use in Wilmington will be strengthened through our use of ShotSpotter.”

The Wilmington Police Department has undertaken a comprehensive approach to resolving crime issues, and has collaborated with various entities including the City of Wilmington, community organizations and supporters, all working together to reduce gun violence and combat its negative impact to the community. The Police Department is partnering with SST to deploy the technology in areas with high incidents of gunfire. Under the partnership, all gunfire incidents detected by the ShotSpotter Flex system will be immediately reviewed and qualified by SST gunfire and acoustic experts and then quickly sent to Wilmington police dispatchers. This process provides the Wilmington Police Department with the intelligence needed to respond to illegal gunfire faster and safer, conduct more informed investigations, strengthen the prosecution of those charged with gun crime, and utilize crime analysis and planning methods.

“We are honored to work with Chief Evangelous and the Wilmington Police Department to improve community safety,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of SST. “Our work enables cities and communities to create comprehensive gun violence reduction programs, and technology and data are critical components. We are committed to providing the Wilmington Police Department the critical information and expertise needed to combat gun crime.”

ShotSpotter Flex supports the development of effective problem-oriented, data-driven policing strategies and tactical operations using the real-time, actionable intelligence. ShotSpotter Flex is delivered to the Wilmington Police Department in a hosted, subscription-based service making it more affordable, more easily deployed, and delivered without the extensive up-front costs, IT resources and expenses of a traditional technology acquisition. The solution also includes SST’s Reviewed Alerts Service which provides immediate review and qualification of all gunfire incidents by gunshot and acoustic experts. Among the key benefits delivered by ShotSpotter Flex are:

  • Instant, Accurate Situational Awareness – Precise gunfire incident information enables informed decisions for faster emergency response while also improving situational intelligence and increasing first responder safety.
  • Enhanced Forensics Analysis – Detailed forensic data and intelligence improves the investigative process leading to more thorough investigations and enhanced prosecutions for gun-related crime.
  • Incident Expert Qualification – A highly trained team of gunfire acoustic experts at the SST Operations Center review and qualify all incidents immediately and pass valuable, actionable gunfire incident data to 9-1-1 dispatch centers and mobile police units enabling accurate and reliable data.
  • Long-Term Crime Deterrence – Awareness of all gunfire incidents and cumulative data enables proactive crime analysis and strategic deterrence.

Located in southeastern North Carolina, the city of Wilmington covers more than 50 square miles and has a population of 106,500 residents.

About SST, Inc.

SST, Inc. is the world leader in gunshot detection, and its ShotSpotter solutions are the leading gunfire alert and analysis solutions. Its public safety technology solutions are focused on improving public and community safety by locating gunfire and other explosive events, and ultimately, helping reduce and prevent gun violence and improving intelligence-led policing and community policing initiatives. SST solutions protect cities and countries around the world, with more than 80 installations in four countries and in 64 US cities. Privately held, the company possesses a multitude of patents that are the result of nearly two decades of innovation in the area of acoustic gunshot location technology. Information about SST and ShotSpotter can be found at www.sst-inc.com or www.shotspotter.com. You can also follow SST and ShotSpotter solutions on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SST, Inc.
Lydia Barrett, 650-833-9534
Vice President
lbarrett@shotspotter.com

Source: SST, Inc.

Released February 22, 2012