“We
are convinced that it can assist us, especially in densely populated areas
where guns are used prevalently. We believe that there is value to it, because
it would help us to certainly identify where there is gunfire and, hopefully, the
response will allow us to actually intercept persons who are committing such
crimes”
Deputy Commissioner of
Police Glenmore Hinds commenting on the Ministry of National Security plans to
acquire Systems & Services Technologies, Inc's ShotSpotter Technology
Looks
like the Jamaican Police will soon have a pair of really big ears.
This
as Ministry of National Security are soon to acquire technology from Systems
& Services Technologies, Inc to detect the location of Gunshots as reported
in the article “New
Shot Detecting Device For Cops ‘ShotSpotter’ Could Lead Cops To Where The
Guns Are Being Fired”, Published Sunday June 12, 2016 by Ryon Jones, The Jamaica Gleaner.
Referred
to as ShotSpotter Technology, the technology allows the Jamaican Police to
detect the location of gun shots by using sensitive directional microphones and
high speed IR (infrared) cameras mounted on high elevation.
In
much the same way scientists photograph lighting using photosensor triggered
cameras, the ShotSpotter Technology detects the location of a gunshot based on
a combination of sound detected by the array of sensitive directional
microphones as well as the unique heat signature detected by the high-speed IR
camera.
It
then places this information on an interactive map or even a whiteboard, making
it possible for the CCN (Constabulary Communications Network) who will be
getting this tech to spot and locate gunfire in real time.
Then
the Jamaican Police can move in and hopefully intercept the criminals before
they leave the scene of the crime as well as act as a deterrent to quote Deputy
Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds: “There is also the deterrent effect; the
fact that persons would know that it exists and may, or may not know where it
exists; it would prevent persons from using guns”.
But
will this actually help to solve gun related crime in Jamaica?
Jamaican Police to
acquire ShotSpotter Technology - Faster Response to Gun Crimes requires Drones
in the Sky
Systems
& Services Technologies, Inc, which had developed their tech back in 1996,
have been in negotiations with the Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington from
the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) since 2012.
Used
in more than 90 cities with a cost of US$250,000 (J$31,275,000) per square mile
of coverage, many have claimed reducing in crime thanks to this revolutionary
product. In 2012, the city of Camden, in New Jersey, deployed the ShotSpotter
Technology. By 2015, they'd reduced shootings by 50%, testimony to the idea
that a audio and optical
According
to Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds, it would help reduce the
following statistics for gun related crimes in first 156 days of 2016:
1.
492 murders islandwide
2.
77% or 381 involved guns
Locating
when and where gunshots are fired by having ShotSpotter strategically placed in
crime hotspots is a great idea. Still, the law will have to be changed to allow
the Jamaican Police to admit evidence gathered using the ShotSpotter as
evidence to prove a crime has been committed.
In
short, to have a stronger case, the CCN also need a set of eyes in the sky in
the form of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), more commonly called drones. The
Ministry of Agriculture had planned to use drones in catching Honduran
fishermen in the act of stealing conch and lobster off the Pedro Cays as
detailed in my blog
article entitled “@agriministryja
Poacher Spotting Drones – Ministry of National Security to Determine How Drones
can Fly Farther”.
Drones
are already being tested in the Eye in the Sky project in Montego Bay since
February 2015 as reported in my blog article
entitled “Eye
in the Sky Project in Montego Bay – How Drones reduce Crime in St James in 6
months as NAITS Initiative gets Rebooted”. So the use of drones to aid the
Jamaican Police isn’t such a farfetched idea as it may seem.
Combining
ShotSpotter with Drones will make it possible for the CCN to become a NOC
(Network Operation Center), allowing the Jamaican Police to not only respond
faster to gun crimes, but potentially capture, photographic, video and
potentially audio recording using these silent gliders in the sky.
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