Flint to get ShotSpotter gunshot tracking system

By Tom Plahutnik
Nov 3, 2011 2:35 p.m.
WNEM

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling told TV5 that the city is getting a ShotSpotter system to help cut down on crime.

The announcement was made during TV5's Ask the Mayor segment at noon on Thursday.

"We'll continue to bring as many partnerships to the table as we can with the Michigan State Police and the U.S. Attorney's office," said Walling. "But now we have an additional technology that we're going to be able to install with a new partnership that won't cost the city any money. The ShotSpotter technology that's been in use in Saginaw for a number of years -- we're going to bring that to Flint."

The technology uses several microphones to detect and monitor gunfire. When Saginaw installed the units, their locations were concealed for security reasons. Saginaw purchased both systems with help of federal grants over the last two years.

Authorities said the first ShotSpotter system cut crime in Saginaw by more than 30 percent.

"Those shots will be sent automatically to our in-car computers and we'll be able to get a response working with the Michigan State Police and other partners, so we're really going to be cracking down on illegal guns and the shots fired that too often have escalated into tragic homicides," Walling said.

Paid for by
Friends of Dayne Walling
P.O. Box 937
Flint, MI  48501

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