ShotSpotter Technology Could Help Denver Police Maintain Peace and Regulate Gun Usage In The City

     'ShotSpotter' is the name of new high-tech audio equipment which could help police officers detect gunfire in a city within 25 meters of the shooter's location and sometimes even closer. The technology could help dispatch officers to the area within 30 seconds of the detection of the gunfire. On the first night of the system's deployment, authorities were able to detect gunfire, apprehend three suspects on outstanding warrants, and seize a handgun. While the device's abilities seem promising, controversy has risen due to the possibility of the device listening in on public conversation and violating the privacy of the city's citizens. The company's website states the device does not have the ability to detect public speech or conversation on public streets, and the captain of the Denver police department Steven Carter states the device can not be used by police to monitor public conversations. The controversy arose due to the fact that the ShotSpotter company also said that 3 very rare edge cases have been noted in which the devices picked up a human voice loudly yelling on the scene of a gunfire incident for about 2 seconds. If the device proves to work solely as advertised it will be an invaluable tool for police officers, however whether this is true or not will only be determined upon further testing of the technology.