Oct. 27, 2009

Westchester County Executive Andy Spano and Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young announced Tuesday that the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system is up and running in the city of Mount Vernon and has already helped to solve a crime.

The system’s ability to pinpoint the precise location of gunshots helped Mount Vernon and New York City police  retrieve valuable ballistics evidence blocks away from where the shooter was apprehended.       

“Mount Vernon is a safer city already because of the installation of this sophisticated technology,” said County Executive Andy Spano who, along with other officials, got a demonstration of Mount Vernon’s new system. “It is a tremendous tool that helps us keep our residents and communities safe.’’   

Mayor Clinton Young said, “Here in Mount Vernon we are on an aggressive mission to rid our streets of illegal handguns. With the help of ShotSpotter, all those who seek to terrorize our streets with the use of these weapons will be arrested and brought to justice.  I thank the County Executive who has been a true partner in this fight.”

The ShotSpotter system uses a sophisticated network of sensors to detect gunshots and identify their location within seconds after gunfire sounds. This enables police officers to respond to the scene immediately, even before receiving a 911 call.

With the support of the Westchester Board of Legislators, the county allocated $3 million in capital funds to install the proven crime detection and prevention system in Mount Vernon and Yonkers. The two cities will assume the costs of maintaining and updating the systems.             
                                               
County Legislator Lyndon Williams of Mount Vernon said, “…I believe ShotSpotter will have a tangible impact on reducing gun violence in Mount Vernon.  Its implementation will not only serve as a deterrent, but will provide our police department with crucial information, enabling them to solve gun-crimes more quickly and restore peace of mind to our residents.” 

Board chair Bill Ryan of White Plains said, “This technology is an effective tool for local police. It will send a strong message to individuals who use illegal guns – fire a gun in Mount Vernon or Yonkers, and law enforcement will find you!”

County Legislator Vito Pinto of Tuckahoe, chair of the Public Safety Committee, said, “As chairman of the Public Safety Committee, I am happy to see the coordination and partnership between county and local governments in efforts to protect the public. This is another example of Westchester County government helping communities throughout this county serve their residents better.’’

Gunshot detection technology, which is used in cities and counties around the nation, has been credited with helping police to apprehend shooters before they can flee;locate witnesses who were present when a crime was committed; allocate resources more effectively in response to data about where gunfire is occurring and find gunshot victims quickly and get them medical attention, including in cases where no one has called 911.

ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensing technology to identify and report gunshots to police within seconds. The sensors, which can differentiate gunfire from other loud sounds such as fireworks or construction noise, use wireless transmitters to send the information to a police dispatch center. The sensors can determine how many shots were fired, how many shooters were involved and whether the shooters were stationary or moving (as in a drive-by shooting).

The sensors also trigger a program that calculates the direction that the sound came from – a process known as triangulation. This is done by comparing the slightly different times at which the sound hits different sensors in the area. Triangulation permits the detection system to pinpoint a very precise location – usually within 25 feet – of where a gunshot was fired. The location is transmitted to a police computer that displays a map and the closest address to the gunfire. 

Earlier this month, two NYPD officers from the 47th Precinct heard gunfire while on patrol near the Mount Vernon-Bronx border. The officers drove toward the shots and observed a man running down the street near Mundy Lane in Mount Vernon. They pursued the man into Mount Vernon and, with the help of Mount Vernon Police, took the suspect into custody and recovered a handgun. Using ShotSpotter, Mount Vernon police were able to locate the specific address on Mundy Lane where the shots had been fired and police later recovered a number of shell casings in the back yard.