CNN's Mario Armstrong explains technology that detects gunfireCNN's Mario Armstrong takes a look at technology being used by some cities to detect gunfire within seconds and pinpoint the location up to about 83 feet. The importance of technologies like Safety Dynamics' SENTRI gunshot location system was emphasized by the tragedy of the shootings at Fort Hood where gunshot location technology could have contributed significantly to the emergency first responders by generating and presenting data on the origin of gunfire. In the case of SENTRI, a fast PTZ video camera receives location data from the microphones and slews to the shooter's position while rolling digital video recordings. This combination of advanced acoustic recognition with digital video creates a highly-effective common operating picture [COP] for use across police departments and security personnel. It also manufactures evidence of the crime that can be used for legal proceedings in the form of digital video. |
CNN's TechTechBoom explores gunshot location technology |
SENTRI Gunshot Recognition: The Future of Crime PreventionState of the art technology that could play a huge role someday in fighting crime is in Tucson, AZ. It's called instant gunfire recognition--and this essentially is how it works: A shot is fired in a metropolitan area, within one second of the shooter pulling the trigger, microphones pick it up, a camera zooms in and authorities instantly have some idea who and what they're dealing with. |
KOLD in Tucson Reports SENTRI could be the future of crime prevention |
City Of Baltimore Tests SENTRI Gunshot Detection DeviceCity police hope they will one day have an easier time solving shootings with the help of new technology. The latest police tool to catch criminals is being tested on top of some blue light cameras. It's gunshot detection. "The way the technology is designed is that the sensor would actually redirect the camera in the direction in which the shot sound came from," said Cheryl Goldstein with the Baltimore mayor's office. Each sensor is supposed to be able to hear a gunshot within 600 feet. That's about the distance from a blue light camera to one or two city blocks. For now there are two sensors installed in East Baltimore. The city is working with the vendor, Safety Dynamics, to make sure the system is worth the investment before buying anything. Johns Hopkins used a different vendor last year. "What the city is looking for is a gunshot technology that can identify a gunshot, and will not alert when there's other noise." said Goldstein. So far the city says the two sensors are showing promise. |
WJZ in Baltimore Reports SENTRI units as "promising" gunshot camera and location systems |
Baton Rouge Police Feature Mobile SENTRI for Crime PreventionThe new gunshot detection units will allow Baton Rouge police to transport the crime prevention functions of SENTRI to areas of immediate need and special community events. Crime rates at Safety Dynamics installations typically fall 14% with the presence of the new technology and a 35% drop in shootings and calls to 911 are realized within weeks. The Baton Rouge Police like the idea of moving SENTRI to various locations in the city that are seeing high rates of crime and for local community events to increase public safety through the SENTRI's unmatched detection and localization of gunshots in less than one second. |
Baton Rouge Police employ the gunshot detection capabilities of SENTRI on a mobile platform with telescopic pole with lights |
Safety Dynamics Completes LA Sheriff's Installation of Gunshot DetectionLos Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton and other police officials gathered at a news conference to announce the completion of work to install Safety Dynamics' SENTRI gunshot detection for urban crime prevention in the city of Compton. SENTRI units consisting of a camera and four microphones were scattered all over town a month ago, officials said. "As soon as it hears shots fired, boom, the cameras turn," said sheriff's Lt. Scott Edson. The SENTRI unit is able to detect shots fired from within a quarter-mile radius and can even distinguish the type of rounds fired, said sheriff's Lt. David Telley. The unit employs neural networks, so it can listen for the temporal pattern of a gunshot and ignore similar sounds, like a bus backfire. The Sheriff's Department had tried similar technology, but Edson said the older equipment does not have cameras, only listening devices. "It's going to be like another eye for us, which will help us apprehend any suspects," Deputy Tony Bowie said of the new technology. |
SENTRI "Another eye for police in Los Angeles" |