Gunshot Sensors installed in Birmingham

TheMightyTen

TheMightyTen

TheMightyTen

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Heard this on the news this morning. The police have installed sensors in (Mostly the Handsworth area I understand) Birmingham that can pick up the sound of a gunshot and report the sound to a controller who can then deploy appropriate resources.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-11950517

What are peoples oppinion of this? It seems the technology has been used in the States for some time with apparent success.
I just feel if it does reduce gun crime it will just transfer the crime into another form since it is only treating a symptom and not the condition causing it in the first place. On the other side technology like this has to be tried to enable a more efficient use of reduced Police resources. I think I might have to sit on the fence until I see how it all pans out.
 
I fail to see how this is going to stop it happening or the police catching the gunman? Is the person doing the shooting going to stay in the area until the police arrive as surely once the gun goes off, the crime has been commited, then you have to wait for the police arrive to what can only be descibed as audio evidence which is practically useless.


I doubt it, people will just start using knifes more and wham, once again you have a waste of taxpayers money
 
This is the first time I’ve heard of a system like this. If the system helps reduce the number of firearm incidents then I’m for it. It will be interesting to see the results of the trial. One does wonder whether there will be anyone around by the time firearms officers arrive at a suspected firearm discharge scene.
 
simulatorman said:
One does wonder whether there will be anyone around by the time firearms officers arrive at a suspected firearm discharge scene.
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Well the gunman would be very stupid to stick around surely :confused:

The only thing I can see this system being good at, is pin pointing the scene of the crime very quickly for the firearms unit, but then they would still have to travel to the scene of the crime.

It might help any medical services get to the scene quicker but I really doubt its going to help catch the guy that did it
 
seek said:
Backfiring exhaust? DEPLOY SWAT TEAM!
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Investigating the system more, and it does appear as though it has been fairly successful in the US, the system and officers are trained to identify the particular sound dynamics of gunshots which are different to fireworks and in your example exhaust backfire.
 
The article says that they can tell what kind of gun it is from the sound wave, which is pretty cool. Once again we are catching up with computer games and sci-fi. Robocop next?

PK!
 
The most inetesting bit in the wiki article for me is

The technology was tested in Redwood Village in April 1996. Through 2007, the manufacturer touted the device as having benefits, but local officials were split as to its effectiveness. In the end, it did not account for a single conviction. However, it was effective in reducing random gunfire. Surveys conducted for the DOJ showed it was most effective as a "perception" of action.
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Seems odd that they are deciding to roll this out in Birmingham when the figures lower down on the BBC article clearly shows a steady drop in gun crime:

Birmingham gun crime

2007/08 - 589 firearms incidents

2009/10 - 440 incidents, 60 involving firearm discharge

2010 to date - 295 incidents, 59 involving firearm discharge
 
bainbridge said:
Seems odd that they are deciding to roll this out in Birmingham when the figures lower down on the BBC article clearly shows a steady drop in gun crime:

Birmingham gun crime

2007/08 - 589 firearms incidents

2009/10 - 440 incidents, 60 involving firearm discharge

2010 to date - 295 incidents, 59 involving firearm discharge
Click to expand...

Well West Midlands Police are unlikely to roll it out in London or Manchester ;)
 
I don't really see the downsides to this. It doesn't appear to be a massive financial investment and its simply another tool to help them out. If it contributes to helping control firearm problems then great, if not then credit to them for trying something new and not a great deal lost.
 
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