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by Olivia Gauthier
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Birmingham city leaders are extending their commitment to technology aimed at reducing gun violence with a new three-year agreement with SoundThinking, the company behind the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system. The Birmingham City Council has approved over $3 million to maintain the technology through 2028.
Public Safety Committee Councilor Hunter Williams emphasized the importance of the investment, stating it is only a fraction of the department's budget, and a small price to pay for safety.
The ShotSpotter system detects gunfire, pinpoints the location, and alerts police within seconds. Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett highlighted the system's effectiveness, saying it helps the department cover over 20 square miles. "ShotSpotter adds more value than just a call. It tells us many shots fired, it tells us the type of gunfire it could be, it could be rapid fire—it could be different calibers for example. So, all these things we look at during our investigation, and it also gives us an exact location almost of where the shots came from, so that we could literally walk to that exact location to be able to recover shell casings," said Pickett.
The technology plays a crucial role in identifying where shots are fired, especially in instances where no one calls 911. City officials noted that ShotSpotter is part of Birmingham's broader strategy to reduce gun violence.
