As ShotSpotter rolls out in Tacoma, feelings over gunshot detection technology remain mixed
In an effort to curb gun crime, Tacoma announced last year that it was turning to a tool called ShotSpotter.
ShotSpotter is a form of Gun Detection Technology (GDT), which uses a series of acoustic microphone sensors to track loud bangs, booms, and pops in a designated area. Once those "dynamic events" are triggered, a human classifier verifies the sound was a gunshot and alerts local police. The entire process happens within 60 seconds or less.
The idea is that it’s a faster and more accurate way to alert police to gunshots, compared with relying on 911 calls. That, then, allows police…
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