Shotspotter coming soon (hint: not a stain fighting liquid)
Just in case you thought criminals packed up their chunkies for the winter, think again. A couple weeks ago, during the Minnesota deep freeze, the hubster and I heard seven rounds fired within a block of our house. If we had a nickel for every time we've called the Minneapolis Police Department over the past four years for "shots fired," we could put a little dent in my student loans.
What's frustrating is that, try as they might, the cops really can't do much with, "We heard seven shots really, really close by.....no, we didn't see anything....ok, thanks."
But, sound the trumpet! An email from our neighborhood association informs us that Shotspotter is on the way! And when you blow your horn, don't worry, 'cuz Shotspotter can tell if it's a gunshot or a firecracker or a fart.
Now, don't think I'm being too smartass about Shotspotter. Reports of Shotspotter's success in South Minneapolis over the first month in operation are intriguing. According to news reports, "In the first month, police responded to 69 Shot Spotter calls, made three felony arrests, three misdemeanor arrests, and recovered two guns and a stolen car." Not bad. We shall see. For now, we must keep in mind that this Wednesday night between 10pm and 12midnight, the shots we will hear are but friendly fire from our men/women in blue giving Shotspotter a try.