PUEBLO — In two separate shootings just hours apart, Pueblo police responded within minutes of the first shot being fired. But their quick response didn’t come from a 911 call. It came from a technology called ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system currently active across six square miles of the city.
“ShotSpotter is from a company called SoundThinking,” explained Deputy Chief Jim. “It is a gunshot detection system that we’ve implemented in our community.”
Unlike traditional emergency response, which relies on witnesses or victims to report a shooting, ShotSpotter listens for the sound of gunfire 24/7. When gunshots are detected, the system confirms them through a remote analyst and immediately alerts dispatchers, who then relay the location to on-duty officers.
“Once that gunshot is detected, it will be sent to an office in another part of the country where they will review the gunshot... and then send it back to our dispatch center, where the officers can be alerted,” said the Deputy Chief.
In a recent incident, police were on the scene long before any 911 call came in.
“We received a ShotSpotter alert at 4:09,” said one officer, “and then received a citizen call at 4:12 in the morning.”
The accuracy is striking, officers say they’ve arrived within six feet of where shots were fired. That speed and precision have allowed them to provide life-saving aid to 21 individuals, something they say wouldn’t have been possible in the past.
According to Pueblo PD, 85 to 90 percent of gunfire cases never get reported by residents. That’s where ShotSpotter fills the gap, delivering critical information instantly, even when a victim or witness cannot.
But the technology doesn’t stop there. The department is also preparing to deploy drones as first responders. These will launch from strategic locations around the city to provide real-time video and Overwatch for officers on the ground.
With police staffing still tight, tools like ShotSpotter and community support are key, officials say.
“The inclusion of technology has been a force multiplier,” said Deputy Chief Jim. “It gives our officers the ability to be more proactive.”
Still, police emphasize that technology alone isn’t enough. “We have to work together as a community, citizens, and police officers to drive down the crime in our community,” he said. “We're a family, and we have to count on each other to come through this together. And we will.”
___
Over 100 illegal immigrants and more than a dozen active-duty military members detained during raid
Over 100 undocumented immigrants and over a dozen active-duty military members were arrested in a DEA raid at an underground nightclub in Colorado Springs on Sunday.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
