LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In 2017, a technology designed to detect where gunshots come from was introduced to the Las Vegas valley. It was part of a pilot program in Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick's district but the program was later expanded.
Today, acoustic sensors — the trademarked devices are called ShotSpotter and made by a company called SoundThinking — have the ability to cover close to 25 square miles in the valley, according to Kirkpatrick.
The technology works by triangulating sounds between three of the sensors to pinpoint where a gun was fired. Metro Police say it can zoom in within about 80 feet of where a gun was fired.
Metro Lt. Bill Steinmetz says it really helps with police response time.
"It makes it easier to go out and police and have an impact on violent crime," Steinmetz says. "It helps us locate victims, suspects, crime scenes, witnesses and all the things that help a police agency combat crime."
In early March, a shooting at a convenience store on Las Vegas' east side led to the deaths of two women. While Metro, as of Wednesday evening, has not made an arrest related to the shooting, officers were able to arrive quickly to the scene.
WATCH: Las Vegas police explain what led up to convenience store shooting
It's just one example of how the agency uses emerging technologies to help identify possible crime scenes.
Ashley Laborn, a Las Vegas resident who lives in the area where that early March shooting occurred, says she's in favor of ShotSpotter.
"If there's somebody out here committing crime or possibly hurting or assaulting someone, the police should be notified as soon as possible," she says. "If it alerts police, it's a good thing."
Mark Burke also lives near the area — the intersection of Nellis Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue — where the shooting happened. While some have questioned the seemingly intrusive nature of what is essentially a listening device, he agrees with Laborn.
"These criminals act out carelessly," Burke says. "This area isn't safe. The intrusive part is these criminals out here committing crimes."
But Jacob Smith, an attorney for the Nevada ACLU, says pushback against what he referred to as "government surveillance" is healthy.
"It should also be pushed back against," he says.
Smith also noted that civil liberties groups have questioned how gunshot detection devices are placed, saying they're often put in communities where more minorities live.
Tom Chittum of SoundThinking says ShotSpotter's sole purpose is to help fight crime.
"We sought an independent external audit to assess privacy risks and what they determined was it was low," Chittum says. "We can have privacy and civil liberties and effective law enforcement all at the same time."
Seven years in, Kirkpatrick says ShotSpotter has been a smashing success.
"We were trying to look at ways to turn the tide in crime-ridden areas," Kirkpatrick says. "It works. [Metro] has done a great job. There's been some great wins."
