Police plan to conduct the tests from 6 p.m. to midnight by firing a series of gunshots into a bullet trap, according to Denver police. Officers won’t fire into the air or ground and officials say there will be no danger to the public.
Shootings tend to occur at night or in the early morning hours, so the agency chose this time for the testing to work with the different acoustics at night, according to a Denver Police Department news release.
The gunshot detection system uses acoustic sensors to identify when a gun has been fired and find the location of the shots, the release stated. ShotSpotter, the vendor, then alerts 911. The immediate and precise information leads to quicker police response, police said. Despite the system’s effectiveness, police ask that anyone who hears gunshots still report them to 911.
The city expanded the gunshot detection system in July into downtown Denver, making it the fifth area in the city to use the technology.
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