ShotSpotter and AT&T Demonstrate Responsible & Innovative Use of M2M Technology
ShotSpotter and AT&T Demonstrate Responsible & Innovative Use of M2M Technology
“Criminal gunfire is vastly under-reported in the United States,” explains Ralph Clark, President and CEO of SST, Inc. “In fact, SST estimates that less than 20 percent of illegally fired gunshots are reported to 9-1-1. The other 80+ percent of the time, no one calls 9-1-1, and the communities most impacted by gun violence are the least likely to call.”
SST, Inc., a leader in gunshot detection, location and analysis, developed the ShotSpotter technology, powered by AT&T’s wireless services, to detect in real time when, where and how many shots are fired, so law enforcement can quickly and safely respond to those incidents. More than 80 cities worldwide currently use ShotSpotter.
Getting the correct information to a responding officer is essential. This can improve officer safety by providing data they may not have obtained otherwise. Knowing the precise location of a gunshot, and whether multiple shooters are involved, can help first responders be on the scene faster, and most importantly, it can help them be prepared with better information about the situation.
ShotSpotter works by analyzing the time differential between the unique impulse sounds a gunshot triggers on a number of acoustic sensors placed at various locations. The detected impulses are sent from each sensor to SST’s data center on AT&T’s machine-to-machine (M2M) network where they are reviewed and analyzed. At SST’s Incident Review Center (IRC), the incident is then analyzed in real time by trained acoustic reviewers. The time differential between each sensor allows ShotSpotter to triangulate the exact source location of that impulsive event, which is then communicated to law enforcement with the exact time, location and number of rounds fired in less than 30-45 seconds.
“AT&T is a global leader in developing and deploying M2M communications that connect the world’s equipment and systems across a range of industries,” according to Mobeen Khan, Executive Director of Product Marketing, Advanced Mobility Solutions for AT&T. “In fact, AT&T has certified more than 1,800 types of connected devices to date. ShotSpotter is a terrific example of one of the many ways in which our M2M technology can be used to obtain and share critical information quickly.”
Helping officers get information they need to ultimately do their jobs better and more safely is one way that AT&T’s wireless services help law enforcement in their mission critical efforts to protect citizens. Kansas City is an example of a metropolitan area where residents benefit from the ShotSpotter technology. Kansas City, MO Police Chief Darryl Forte states: “ShotSpotter has proven to be a valuable tool for us here in Kansas City. It’s a vitally important part of our overall crime reduction and community engagement efforts. Having an almost instantaneous alert system helps us operate more effectively and advance our key mission—to protect the public’s safety and quality of life in Kansas City.”
At AT&T, we are committed to improving the communities in which we live and work. M2M communications—by which sensors and networks allow all the parts of a physical system to communicate directly with each other—can improve the way we work, live and travel. Our collaboration with ShotSpotter is one way we use our services to support our communities. We are proud to help ShotSpotter offer this important technological innovation.
