Shot Spotter?

[tonelar]

We had a grass fire in SF today. Not too unusual, but PD arrives at the scene as we're about done with suppressing it and say that their "Shot Spotter" recorded a shot from our location.

Can this spotter differentiate between gunfire and something else (i e fireworks or backfire)?

I should have asked but it came to me on our way from the scene.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Weeeell, I just cruised through the shot spotter website (http://www.shotspotter.com/) and didn't find anything that says it can distinguish between fireworks or gunfire.

What I *did* find was a crap ton of marketing buzz words.

[bohoki]

they claim it can tell the difference between the impluse wave pattern but i have my doubts

[BigDogatPlay]

they claim it can tell the difference between the impluse wave pattern but i have my doubts

A low impulse banger like a firecracker the system might discriminate, but it might not. Much more than that it will almost certainly trigger an alert from what I've read in sources other than the interwebz.

[bohoki]

A low impulse banger like a firecracker the system might discriminate, but it might not. Much more than that it will almost certainly trigger an alert from what I've read in sources other than the interwebz.

if you ever threw certain pinecones and logs in a camp fire you will hear some good poppers a small fire can get loud certain rocks will crack very loudly when heated

[rkt88edmo]

You would think shot spotter would integrate with existing ems calls if possible to make other related agencies aware of existing calls/conditions. I suppose that may be more of a dispatching issue.

[arsilva32]

i know they can detect firecrackers and such. last 4th we were warned the pd would be using shotspotter to detect illegal fireworks. my neighbors were lighting firecrackers,Roman candles,bottle rockets.i was very surprised at how quick and how accurate the police responded. my street was full of people lighting legal safe and sane type fireworks, but the pd was still able to weed through all of that and go to right were my neighbor was.it was very impressive and creepy at the same time.

[IlDuche]

We had a grass fire in SF today. Not too unusual, but PD arrives at the scene as we're about done with suppressing it and say that their "Shot Spotter" recorded a shot from our location.

Can this spotter differentiate between gunfire and something else (i e fireworks or backfire)?

I should have asked but it came to me on our way from the scene.

Yes, our shot spotter system does differentiate but DEM doesnt...so here's what happens...

Kid up on Potrero Hill lets a few rounds go..sytem picks it up and triangulates it. Back at the Company in the Lt's officer (and the DEM Sup's office) there is a computer that chimes to show an alert. A Map overlay pops up on the screen, with either a red dot(gunshot) red/yellow dot (gunshot and/or possible firework), or a yellow dot (firework or unknown). You can play back what the system recorded and listen for yourself, then determine whether there's merit or not. The station keeper generally is responsible for that, and will broadcast info to units. That's what happens when the Station Keeper sees the alert first, and basically self dispatches. If DEM gets it, then they just dispatch units with no info besides "216S (for shotspotter), 1 gunshot, 1800 Oakdale, no calls." In that case, we can't hear it and have no idea what or where it really is. Which friggin sucks.

If someone at the Company goes and sees it, they will give a better location, like "3 houses down, in front" or things like that. Now the system is also supposed to be updated and maintained....which knowing SFPD, it has not been. So the accuracy can be within a couple feet to a block. Supposedly, ShotSpotter themselves will take over maintaining everything for us, and will screen the actual alerts. That'll also tell you direction of travel (if running or in a vehicle), speed, # of shots, and what the weapon sounded like- ie, shotgun, handgun, rifle.

It does work, but it's also kind of a pain. When it was first deployed, we were getting dispatched to every activation. Now it's cut down more to gunshots or possible gunshots. Until someone at the Company tells us over PIC "yea, it's a good one," or Dispatch says "Multiple shots, getting calls now" we just drive normal. But if there is anything that happens near you guys, especially a shots fired call of any kind, we're all going. At least in the Potrero.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

^this is actually pretty cool.

[tonelar]

Woah... That's pretty neat. Outstanding response, IlDuche.

[babbytenders]

From what I've heard, a gunshot signature looks like a Christmas tree.. A car backfiring or firecrackers have a somewhat different signature so I'd assume that if it shows up lookin' like an xmas tree, they'll show up sooner than if it looked like... A palm tree, lol.