TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Police have introduced new technology called ShotSpotter that officials hope will help reduce gun violence in the north end of the city.
ShotSpotter gives police precision accuracy on from where shots are fired and pinpoints gunshots within 25 meters.
Here's how it works: a shot is fired and at least three sensors triangulate where it came from.
This technology is now installed within a four mile section of the north end of the city, but police won’t reveal exactly where because it could jeopardize investigations.
Following a ShotSpotter alert, nearby residents will be notified of the incident by a TPD door-hanger requesting Crime Stoppers tips.
The newly-formed Gun Crime Intelligence Task Force will focus on analyzing evidence and following up on ShotSpotter leads.
Police still urge residents to call 911 if you hear gunshots, but this is simply the next step in reducing crime and bringing some people to justice.
"On average, only 20 percent of these types of incidents are called into police. So now, we know about it within 30 seconds," Toledo Police Chief George Kral saod. "We're collecting evidence now that we never would have collected if we didn't have ShotSpotter."
ShotSpotter went live on June 25, and has already been used 14 times and helped to arrest at least one person.
Police said 11 of those incidents would have gone undetected if not for ShotSpotter.
In addition to increasing the detection of gunfire incidents, police say ShotSpotter has also shown improvement in response times.