Gunshot Sensors installed in Birmingham

TheMightyTen · 9 Dec 2010 at 10:29

I think what we are not seeing here is how much time, resources and money West Midlands Police spend on managing gun crime in the city, resources they are going to have to deploy into other areas due to cutbacks and spending restrictions. The apparent reported drop in gun crime can only have come from an investment of manpower.

I can't help feel that this system is being trialled as an efficiency program as much as a crime fighting tool. I really would like to see the business case and accountancy figures for the last few years.

bainbridge · 9 Dec 2010 at 10:38

TheMightyTen said:
Well West Midlands Police are unlikely to roll it out in London or Manchester

Eh?

TheMightyTen · 9 Dec 2010 at 10:52

bainbridge said:
Eh?

Where else are West Midlands Police going to role it out, other constabularies can make their own decision as to whether they use the system or not. We don't have a national Police force (sort of

), this will not have come from a central government plan. As to why WM Police have chosen to go with the system my feeling about the reason are stated in post #21

Doonhamer · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:13

DJMK4 said:
How is it going to control firearm problems , even "if" the person is caught, you cant even use it as evidence as it holds no proof.

I don't know but somebody in a better informed position than me obviously thinks that it will help or they wouldn't have spent a six figure sum on it.

Danthus · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:19

DJMK4 said:
I would say it would be more wise to try and tackle knife crime.

To do it properly Stop and Search needs to be based on profiling.

bainbridge · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:23

TheMightyTen said:
Where else are West Midlands Police going to role it out

Are you serious? So you mean to say that a constabulary is responsible for their own area?

That is so glaringly obvious I had to put shades on to read your post

LordSplodge · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:26

What a complete waste of the (now decreasing) police budget.

matt_fsr · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:45

How long until a few 'comedy geniuses' with blank-firers make this whole exercise a waste of valuable resources of time and money I wonder?

I'll give it a few months.

TheMightyTen · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:46

LordSplodge said:
What a complete waste of the (now decreasing) police budget.

But is it? Does 150K plus the required number of trained officers and Maintenance costs come to less than the current resource commitment and officers required to manage the current level of gun crime in Handsworth. You are making a judgement based on an absense of evidence or do you have any information that we don't regarding the current commitment by WM Police

bainbridge said:
Are you serious? So you mean to say that a constabulary is responsible for their own area?

That is so glaringly obvious I had to put shades on to read your post

I read your first post to mean; "why is this system being rolled out in Birmingham when it has an apparent falling rate of reported gun crime when it could have been better trialled elsewhere". Sometime the ambiguity of posts on the internet can be interpreted in all sorts of ways

TheMightyTen · 9 Dec 2010 at 11:47

matt_fsr said:
How long until a few 'comedy geniuses' with blank-firers make this whole exercise a waste of valuable resources of time and money I wonder?

I'll give it a few months.

Read the wiki article, apparently the sound can be profiled on the ignition of the round and then the sonic crack of the bullet.

Mucky_Pup · 9 Dec 2010 at 12:19

simulatorman said:
Arrest and send for MOT.

I don't remember when I heard one last.

Mine pops and bangs every day

it's great, lol.

TheVoice · 9 Dec 2010 at 12:53

Gary* said:
It's not a perfect overall solution perhaps, as I can now see the sales of silencers on the up.

Not likely, you can't just buy a suppressor and attach it to a gun.

Kainz · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:03

We make them

I can't say anymore sadly.

Vonhelmet · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:36

DJMK4 said:
I would say it would be more wise to try and tackle knife crime.

Too much like hard work.

Danthus · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:39

vonhelmet said:
Too much like hard work.

Or is it more a case of the Police being hamstrung?

tom_e · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:45

TheVoice said:
Not likely, you can't just buy a suppressor and attach it to a gun.

Course you can bit of gaffa tape and your away or if you want to be truely ghetto just do it Bourne style with a water bottle filled with sand taped to the end of the barrel

Vonhelmet · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:47

OldCoals said:
Or is it more a case of the Police being hamstrung?

All of the above.

Bunka · 9 Dec 2010 at 13:53

It makes a lot of sense if there is CCTV in the nearby area. As soon as a shot is heard, start checking the cameras.