Sacramento Police Want To Expand Shotspotter Program

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento Police are hoping to expand a program that tracks gunshots being fired in local neighborhoods.

The department plans will ask city leaders on Tuesday to expand the use of Shotspotter, a technology that can pinpoint and map the locations of gunshots to within 25 feet.

People in Sacramento's Meadowview neighborhood say they're sick of hearing gunfire near their homes.

"Stray bullets, you don't know where they're going to land," said Robert Lopez.

Police say it's often times difficult for them to determine where the gunfire is coming from and arrest the person pulling the trigger. Last summer, the department started a pilot program with Shotspotter.

"Our officers are alerted instantly and are enroute to that immediately as a priority call," said Sgt. Bryce Heinlein.

The technology is currently installed across a three square-mile area of North Sacramento and officers say it has directly lead to 50 arrests and the seizure of 53 guns and the detection of more than 450 shots fired.

"Really it's a force multiplier in these neighborhoods," he said.

One of the shootings detected by Shotspotter was the murder of Grant High School student J.J. Clavo.

"Shotspotter helps us get to scenes so we can gather evidence, and in the J.J. Clavo case that was a key piece in making sure officer knew that was the crime scene and they could collect evidence that was left behind," he said.

Now they want Shotspotter to the south area, but some are concerned about the $200,000 cost.

"It's a lot of money; that money could be going to the schools and helping the kids," said Meishaunee Norwood.

Money for that expansion will come from asset seizure funds and a half-cent sales tax passed by voters in 2012.