Holyoke Police Department makes pitch for ShotSpotter technology
HOLYOKE — The Police Department pitched ShotSpotter technology to help pinpoint gunfire in high-crime areas.
The department has requested the City Council accept a $64,850 no-match federal Project Safe Neighborhoods Program grant. The council’s Finance Committee tabled the grant request until a late-August meeting.
Sgt. John Hart appeared before the Finance Committee on Monday, along with Jason Silva, a ShotSpotter representative. The grant comes via a U.S. Attorney’s Office communities initiative.
Hart broke down the cost, including $5,850 for a consultant to train department personnel to manage the software, including how to download incidents ShotSpotter captures. If implemented, ShotSpotter would cover a square mile within the city.
The HPD worked with ShotSpotter to identify specific areas and zones where gunfire might occur. The department used data to focus on where ShotSpotter should be implemented. Hart estimated the technology would cost $49,500 with the remaining funds for licensing already installed cameras.
According to Hart, the cameras would automatically rotate and zoom to detect where the gunshots originated. Councilor Joseph M. McGiverin asked Hart to provide a map outlining the concentrated square mile before the council’s Aug. 2 meeting.
“This is going to give us a greater chance in capturing those individuals doing the shooting,” Hart said, “as well as getting to the area as quickly as possible. Sometimes, we don’t get calls for shots fired.”
The department initially proposed a two-square mile radius or 90% of reported past shots. However, Hart said the department spoke with Mayor Joshua A. Garcia about alternative funding sources.
Silva added he would include the map in the funding package for councilors to review. ShotSpotter services include installation, maintenance, and notification to police dispatchers and officers. He compared ShotSpotter to cellphone service, whereby the user pays for the device and “expects a certain level of service.
“That’s exactly what we bring and exactly what that $49,500 is,” Silva said. In addition, the licensing fee enhances the department ’s current technology, like the street cameras mounted throughout the downtown.
Hart said police dispatchers send call information directly to officers’ cruiser laptops, including the ShotSpotter data. “It’s a lot quicker response time and pinpoint accuracy to that location,” he said.
According to Silva, within 60 seconds of a trigger being pulled in the coverage area, dispatchers and officers are simultaneously notified of the shot location. ShotSpotter mapped out the two-mile radius if the HPD secured more funding.
Councilor at-large Kevin Jourdain voiced concerns about annual subscription costs. He added that the ShotSpotter representative failed to educate the council on the service. “I want to know more before I agree to $50,000,” he said.
Jourdain said a presentation would educate the public on ShotSpotter and the city’s crime situation.
Silva offered to come to Holyoke and demonstrate ShotSpotter to the council and the public. The company will send statistical information related to Holyoke. He added that 80% of gunfire goes unreported.
The federal grant covers one year of service with ShotSpotter. The company owns the equipment and technology. Holyoke Media streamed the meeting and ShotSpotter presentation.
Gloss