Computerized Senors to Improve response Times for Shootings

Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra announced the implementation of the ShotSpotter program at a news conference attended by other state officials. With 17 homicides in the current year the Mayor now hopes this investment will end the violence.

The Mayor lost his own father in a street shooting when he was a child. He is now investing in a computerized sensor program for Hartford that will improve the response time to a shooting. He said that it specifically identifies gunshots and even the caliber of the weapon that is used.

He added that it pinpoints the exact location of where the shot is fired and it immediately sends out a response to a police cruiser that is the nearest. The computerized sensor program called ShotSpotter is to cost the city $ 150,000.

The city was not given federal funding for the sensor system and so will not use the cameras that would help identify the shooters. Still the Police Chief Daryl Roberts feels that the system will be an improvement. Police chief said that there had been an 8% increase in shootings in the last year. The new system will help solve gun crimes faster.