Forest Park Police Deploying ShotSpotter To Combat Gun Violence

FOREST PARK, Ga. — Oct. 26, 2023 — Today, the Forest Park Police Department announced plans to deploy the gunshot detection system ShotSpotter in several areas throughout the city in an effort to help combat gun violence. By using the system, public safety alerts will be generated and sent to law enforcement personnel within 60 seconds of a trigger pull, who are then notified when and where gun incidents occur.

Owned and developed by SoundThinking Inc., ShotSpotter provides a fast, precise response to gun-related incidents in order to help save the lives of gunshot wound victims and find critical evidence during an investigation. The platform, which is currently being used in cities like Denver, Columbus, Ohio, and Bakersfield, Calif., was approved for implementation by the Forest Park City Council and would be the first of its kind in metro Atlanta. 

"We as a governing body are keenly aware of how gun violence impacts our local community, including an overall reduction to a high quality of life due to fear experienced by residents and even unwanted stresses to the criminal justice system. Introducing this advanced technology truly reflects the progress that continues to be made in our city," said Mayor Angelyne Butler, MPA. "It is our hope that we are able to mitigate, prevent and deter senseless acts of violence that for too long have had devastating consequences for survivors, victims and families here in Georgia and across the nation." 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 48,000 firearm-related deaths in the United States in 2022, resulting in about 132 people dying from a firearm-related injury each day. Additionally, firearm injuries were among the top five leading causes of death for people ages 1 to 44 and the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1 to 19.

"As someone who has worked in law enforcement for nearly 20 years, I have personally seen the agonizing pain that gun violence inflicts on individuals from all walks of life," said Forest Park Police Chief Brandon Criss. "Although overall crime in the city continues to decline, this is just one of the many ways our department is striving to remain proactive, whether it's responding directly to shootings or notifying those who want to commit crimes that they will be held to the fullest extent of the law."

To learn more about ShotSpotter, click here.