Item Number: 7
City Council / Board of Directors
Consent Calendar
Meeting of: November 18, 2025
Submitted By:
Jerry Davenport, Police Captain
Subject:
ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection Technology Quarterly Report Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council review and file the attached ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection Technology Quarterly Report.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Strategic Plan Goal B, Public Safety. The City focuses on implementing public safety strategies to support a thriving and growing community. In accordance with this strategy the City has investing in technology to assist with efficient and effective police operations.
Background:
On May 5, 2025, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Provider Agreement to SoundThinking, Inc. for the implementation of ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection Technology. The City went live with this technology on June 26, 2025, and established
2.77 square miles of coverage to include the Brentwood/Hook area and the Oldtown/Midtown area. Since implementation, the Police Department has successfully utilized the data received to respond to incidents more rapidly and conduct investigations with more accurate data provided.
Discussion:
ShotSpotter technology is a gunfire detection, analysis and alert system that enhances the Police Department’s response and investigation time. The installed sensors detect loud, impulsive sounds, like gunshots and can differentiate between things like fireworks, backfiring cars, or other sounds. Recordings of these sounds are sent to ShotSpotter’s 4 4
2 6
Incident Review Center (IRC), where it is determined whether it is legitimate gunfire. Once confirmed, the information is reported to the Police Department within 60 seconds, though often completed within 25 to 30 seconds of the origination of the sound.
ShotSpotter’s IRC is able to determine whether multiple weapons are involved, the types of weapons involved (including whether high-capacity and/or automatic weapons), and by using sound detection triangulation, it can pinpoint the location where the sound originated within an 82 ft. radius.
Attachment A provides the Council with the City’s ShotSpotter coverage activity from July 2025 through October 2025. During this four-month period, the sensors captured more than 27,000 recordings and were able to determine that only 27 of these were legitimate gunfire. The attachment also highlights case summaries where the ShotSpotter technology proved invaluable in protecting our community’s citizens.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments you may have.
Prepared By:
Darcy Mahoney-Henson, Administrative Analyst
Attachments: A. ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection Technology Quarterly Report