Citing Success, City Council Votes To Continue Funding ShotSpotter System
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento City Council is putting money behind new technology that police say helps them respond to gun violence.
On Tuesday, the council voted to continue funding the ShotSpotter system. Since 2015, more than 100 people have been arrested thanks to the ability to pinpoint exact areas where shots are fired.
When you live in Del Paso Heights, hearing gunshots is nothing unusual.
"I was a nervous wreck. Because it's all the time in Del Paso Heights," said resident Laverne Ransom. "We have had somebody get shot over here, he ended up in the yard and that is one of the bullets there."
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Gina Allen and Ransom have something tragic in common. They've both seen someone shot. For Allen, it was a neighbor.
"When I hear the shots I just make sure it's no close by me and I sit in my house and I take cover," Allen said. "A group of guys came by and shot him. He had his son in his arms and they shot him in his leg."
Gun violence in Del Paso Heights has long been a problem, to the point where most people don't bother to call 911 unless someone has been hurt.
Data from Sacramento Police shows ShotSpotter technology detected more than 2,600 shootings since 2015, but just 25% of those were called in to police dispatch.
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"A lot of people won't call in, I'm one of them. I don't call in," Ransom said.
People fear retaliation.
"Somebody's going to come shoot my house up if I say something and I don't want that," Allen said.
Del Paso Heights was the first neighborhood Sacramento Police tested ShotSpotter technology in. Next week they will ask the city council to continue to fund the program.
This comes at a time when budgets are tight. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office also takes part in ShotSpotter, but recently they decided to get rid of deputies specifically assigned to respond to detections. However, they will send a patrol unit when available.
