ShotSpotter Announces “Data for Good” Program to Support Community Violence Prevention Groups and Other Non-Law Enforcement Organizations
Community Partners Receive Access to Gunfire Alert Data to More Precisely Deploy Social, Economic and Public Health Resources to Neighborhoods Experiencing Persistent Gun Violence
FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ShotSpotter, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI), a leader in precision policing technology solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate, and deter crime, announced today the launch of Data for Good, a community-focused program that shares precision data about where and when gun violence occurs so non-law enforcement organizations can provide prompt interventions to residents in need of services and support. With timely and accurate gunfire location data, community violence intervention groups, social services, mental health professionals and many other community organizations can better direct their resources to prevent future violence, address root causes, and provide assistance to those adversely impacted by exposure to persistent gun violence.
According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, survivors of firearm injury have a 51% increase in psychiatric disorders and an 85% increase in substance use disorders. Individuals exposed to ongoing gunfire incidents can experience PTSD-like symptoms and require immediate follow-up. Local and national organizations in communities across the country help to address this problem through a variety of means, including violence intervention and prevention, counseling and economic assistance.
ShotSpotter’s Data for Good program helps law enforcement customers identify offices of violence prevention, schools, city and county public health departments and other community organizations that would receive gunfire data and analytics including heat maps and dashboards. These tools indicate where gunfire and potential trauma may be occurring so the appropriate community resources can be deployed to offer immediate and lasting support and help address the core issues that drive crime.
“ShotSpotter technology is known as a tool for helping law enforcement save lives and improve the safety of communities we serve nationwide. I’m excited to now share that our Data for Good program will extend this positive impact more deeply into violence prevention and community assistance work,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of ShotSpotter. “We hope to see this grow from the handful of community organizations that currently utilize ShotSpotter gunfire data to hundreds of partners across the country that deploy their social, health and economic resources to the right places at the right times in order to help prevent violence.”
Walking One Stop has been using ShotSpotter data since July 2019 to determine where to dispatch their violence intervention and social support teams in Miami-Dade County, Florida to assess and address the needs of residents in at-risk and underserved areas. It often includes the local workforce development mobile unit where residents receive on-the-spot assistance with employment and vocational training. “This is the best example of collective efficacy I’ve ever seen,” said Wayne Rawlins, founder of Walking One Stop. “It’s law enforcement walking in lockstep with community members, going right to the doorstep of the homes that have been impacted by gun and gang violence and providing resources thanks to ShotSpotter pinpointing where to send us.”
The Mobile Police Department spearheads Operation Echo Stop that brings together law enforcement, the community and civic leaders across the city to reduce gun violence. The group partners with ShotSpotter to provide data that supports their victim services, family intervention outreach, and engagement activities. “ShotSpotter brings stakeholders from various community groups together in real time with task assignments and information sharing to address the social, psychiatric, educational, spiritual and physical health of individuals effected by the trauma of gun violence in our community,” said Dr. Cindy Gibson, Associate Director for Crisis Services, AltaPointe Health and Associate Professor, South Alabama Department of Psychiatry.
The Baton Rouge Police Department shares ShotSpotter data with faith-based community organizations, violence interrupters, and other nonprofits. Sharing ShotSpotter data informs where to direct timely interventions and necessary resources to keep the community safe. “Gun violence is a community issue, not a police issue. So we’re taking that same data and pushing it to our service providers. And for anyone else who is involved in dealing with the root causes of crime, we’re willing to share that data with them as well,” said Police Chief Murphy Paul of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
To learn more about how ShotSpotter assists community-based and civic programs, please visit our Data for Good page.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements regarding our belief that the Data for Good program will be able to inform offices of violence prevention, schools, city and county victim services programs and other community organizations indicating where gunfire and potential trauma may be occurring so they can deploy necessary resources to offer immediate and lasting support and help address the core issues that drive crime. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intend,” variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the company’s control. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to community groups’ acceptance and use of the Data for Good program and achieving its intended benefits to direct violence interruption, health and workforce development resources of such community groups to those in need, as well as other risk factors included in the company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.
About ShotSpotter
ShotSpotter Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI) brings the power of digital transformation to law enforcement and community assistance groups. We are trusted by more than 200 customers and 2,500 agencies to drive more efficient, effective, and equitable public safety outcomes, making communities healthier. Our platform includes the flagship product, ShotSpotter Respond™, the #1 gunshot detection system for rapid response to gunfire to save the lives of victims; Coplink X, the #1 investigative lead search tool to accelerate crime solving; Investigate and GCM, case management software to produce courtroom-ready cases; and Connect, analyst software that plans deployment of limited patrol resources for maximum impact. ShotSpotter has been designated a Great Place to Work® Company.
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