SST, Inc. Sees Strong Adoption of ShotSpotter Flex℠ Solution and Successful Use among Law Enforcement Agencies since Availability

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Gunfire Detection, Alert & Analysis Technology and Service Helps Law Enforcement Respond Safer and Faster and Gain Valuable Crime Intelligence Data

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SST, Inc., the world leader in wide-area acoustic surveillance and gunfire location and alert technology, today announced that ShotSpotter Flex℠, its leading gunfire alert and analysis solution which became generally available in 2011, has seen strong adoption by North American law enforcement agencies. ShotSpotter Flex is the only wide-area acoustic surveillance gunshot detection, alert and analysis solution in the world and delivers the critical data and actionable information that public safety and law enforcement agencies need not only to respond efficiently to gunfire incidents faster and more safely, but also to enable them to proactively develop effective problem-oriented, data-driven policing strategies and tactical operations using the real-time intelligence provided by ShotSpotter.

ShotSpotter Flex is delivered in an affordable hosted, subscription-based service making it more easily deployed, without the extensive up-front costs, IT resources, and the challenges and barriers 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 SST gunshot and acoustic experts.

Since becoming available, ShotSpotter Flex has seen a strong and increasing adoption, with multiple law enforcement agencies leveraging the intelligence and real-time gunshot location data provided by the solution to support their gun violence reduction initiatives and community-based, data-driven policing strategies and deployments. Cities using ShotSpotter Flex and the SST Reviewed Alerts Service include:

Through their use of the actionable intelligence provided by ShotSpotter Flex, these agencies are realizing major benefits, including:

  • 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 & Crime Analysis – Detailed forensic data and intelligence improves the investigative process leading to more thorough investigations and enhanced prosecutions for gun crime. Agencies can use the gunfire data in combination with their other crime intelligence to create proactive data-driven strategies to address hotspots and problem areas.
  • Incident Qualification – A highly trained team of gunfire and acoustic experts at the SST Incident Review Center assess and qualify all incidents immediately and send 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. Agencies are able to use the gunfire data to develop focused problem-oriented policing strategies and targeted deployments.
  • Affordable and Easy to Use – In today’s economy with reduced city and police budgets and limited resources, this solution supports agencies as a force multiplier without the significant costs of software licensing, IT support and resources, and maintenance fees.

As a result, many of these agencies have already recorded numerous arrests, charged individuals at the State and Federal level with gun-related crimes, confiscated an array of illegal guns, and made improvements in their community policing and engagement.

The ShotSpotter Flex solution has also proven to be valuable to users of SST’s flagship ShotSpotter gunshot location solution, as many of these agencies are expanding their use of the gunfire data to include ShotSpotter Flex and the Reviewed Alerts Service in optimizing their efforts to fight gun crime and violence. These cities include:

“ShotSpotter Flex has proven to be a great enhancement to our strategic policing initiatives and a cost-effective solution for us,” said Wilmington, NC Chief of Police Ralph M. Evangelous. “The solution not only provides us with the intelligence we need to respond faster and safer to gunfire, but also enables us to more effectively investigate and prosecute illegal gun use. As we work to fight gun crime and gun violence, we’ll continue to combine our policing strategies and tactical operations with the ShotSpotter Flex service with the expectation and confidence that we’ll be successful with our mission.”

“The use of ShotSpotter Flex by the Suffolk County police department should be comforting to the honest, hard-working people of our community in our initiatives to reduce gun violence,” said Dr. William Spencer, Legislator, Suffolk County, NY. “Public safety and the well-being of our community is a top priority and I’m hopeful that over time we’ll be able to further integrate ShotSpotter Flex with video surveillance systems and other technologies to provide our police team with even more comprehensive resources to fight and deter crime for the benefit of the citizens of Suffolk.”

“Since its general availability, we’ve been extremely pleased how well ShotSpotter Flex and the subscription-based model have been received by law enforcement agencies and political leadership teams,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of SST. “The fact that those entrusted with public safety can leverage the data our solution provides along with the expertise of our incident review professionals without the high cost of purchasing and maintaining hardware is of great benefit. We’re getting tremendous interest from agencies daily and we’re excited to partner with them to help establish safer communities by reducing gun violence. Our passion is focused on helping law enforcement and cities reduce gun violence and related crimes to improve the vitality and quality of life in their communities.”

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 (cell)
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
lbarrett@shotspotter.com

Source: SST, Inc.

Released March 13, 2012