A gunfire location and detection system long used by the New York Police Department and other law enforcement agencies nationwide is sending police officers to respond to loud noises that don’t turn out to be confirmed shootings 87 percent of the time, a city audit released Thursday has found.
It also says its difficult for the department to determine exactly how many ShotSpotter reports result in a "confirmed shooting" as those are only ones in which shell casings, firearms, property damage, videos, witnesses, victims or other forms of evidence are also identified.SoundThinking, in an emailed statement, said its reviewing the report but believes it is "gravely misinformed in its assessment of data and the value of ShotSpotter as a critical public safety tool.