ShotSpotter Update, Review on Military Equipment Due Back at Council on Monday

On Monday  the City Council tabled two items related to public safety until Oct. 23.

At that meeting the City Council will receive an update on the City’s use of ShotSpotter technology and the Pasadena Police Department is set to present its annual military equipment report and ask authorization to continue using each item in the inventory.

The report, required by state law, details the department’s acquisition and inventory of military-grade equipment. The process seeks to support transparency, and to reinforce the ability of local elected officials to monitor and manage their police department’s tactical capabilities and firepower.

The Police Department held a community meeting through the City Council Public Safety Committee to gather comments from community stakeholders. Those comments will be included in the report presented at the City Council meeting.

The Pasadena Police Department’s preliminary inventory report reveals a collection of high-tech equipment and vehicles aimed at enhancing public safety and reducing risks. 

The inventory includes a Robotex Avatar Tactical Robot, valued at $53,624, which the Dept. said is utilized for de-escalating incidents, gathering intelligence, and minimizing risks to the public, involved subjects, and officers. The robot’s cameras can help officers determine if a subject is armed and if there are other individuals at the scene who need help.

The department also possesses two drones, a BearCat Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV), designed for ballistic protection during critical events, a 2000 Freightliner Mobile Command Post ($366,000) and a Freightliner MT-55 Forward Control Chassis Mobile Operations Center ($1,692,525), both of which can serve as remote bases of operations for prolonged events in the community.

The inventory also includes a .50-caliber Barrett M82A1 Precision Rifle ($8,800) equipped with a high-power scope for precise long-distance shots or large armored targets. The rifle uses the Hornady .50 BMG round capable of disabling a large truck’s engine block.

City Manager Miguel Márquez is recommending the Council approve the department’s request to continue using all the equipment it currently owns. All types of military equipment listed in the report have met the approval standards set by the department’s Military Equipment Policy 711 and California Government Code Section 7070, according to Márquez’s office.

The approval would involve renewing Ordinance No. 7395, which outlines procedures for funding, acquiring, and using military equipment. 

Shotspotter is a gunshot detection technology that uses a network of acoustic sensors to locate and alert police to the sound and location of gunfire.

After a gunshot occurs, the system’s sensors work instantly to triangulate the sound and pinpoint the location of the gunfire.

According to the manufacturer, trained ShotSpotter acoustic experts are on duty 24/7 to review and qualify all gunfire incidents. If the acoustic expert determines the sound to be actual gunfire, a detailed alert is sent to the local law enforcement agency. 

The review and alert occur within a minute or less of the actual gunfire event.

Nationwide, fewer than 20% of all gunshots are reported to 911 dispatchers. ShotSpotter technology eliminates the reliance on delayed and/or unreported calls and the immediate alerts should enable officers to mobilize and safely respond to the incident quickly.

The gunfire data can also provide investigating officers with detailed information to improve evidence collection, prosecution and overall crime-fighting efforts.

In October 2021, the City Council approved a $640,000, three-year contract for the software. At that time, police said the system could lead to faster response times, save lives and possibly deter shootings.

Residents opposing the technology have said it does not work and does not address issues that lead to crime.

Critics also point to research that said ShotSpotter produced low arrest numbers and is plagued by privacy issues.

The system has helped police respond more quickly to shootings — many of which are not reported by local residents — and arguably saved lives.

Last year, police received 109 alerts from the system.