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APPROVE SHOTSPOTTER FLEX FIXED-PRICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF STOCKTON AND SHOTSPOTTER, INC.
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion authorizing the ShotSpotter Flex Fixed-Price Agreement, between the City of Stockton and ShotSpotter, Inc. (SST), for ShotSpotter Flex Gunfire Location, Alert and Analysis Service in the amount of $105,000, for a one-year term.
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Summary
Since August 2013, the Stockton Police Department (SPD) has been using the ShotSpotter Flex Gunfire Location, Alert and Analysis Service (ShotSpotter System). Through this technology, the City has achieved success in its efforts to combat gun violence and gang activity in the target area - two-square miles in a south Stockton neighborhood prone to heavy firearm violence. The SPD gained valuable intelligence, addressed chronic gunfire locations, and made significant gun-related arrests in large part due to this gunfire detection system. As part of the Police Department’s Fiscal Year 2017-18 proposed budget, $105,000 is available to support an additional year of the ShotSpotter System through June 30, 2018 (Attachment A - ShotSpotter Flex Fixed-Price Agreement).
DISCUSSION
Background
Continuing focus on guns and gangs, this information has been very useful in several ways, including enhanced officer safety, locating and collecting crime scene evidence, and increasing arrests for gun-related crimes.
The premise of this technology is that, due to a variety of factors, residents living in areas prone to firearms violence and frequent shootings are less likely to call 9-1-1 and report the crime. Based on analysis conducted by the SPD Crime Analysis Section, an average of 26% of ShotSpotter alerts were also accompanied by a call for service from a community member, and this behavior can be correlated in the calls for service data represented in the table on the following page:
Present Situation
Officers from the various Operations Bureau Divisions of SPD use ShotSpotter alerts to investigate crimes, recover firearms used in crimes, collect shell casings as evidence, and make arrests. Because ShotSpotter has proved to be a valuable tool in providing information to the SPD, staff recommends the service be continued through the end of FY 2017-18. Many of the conditions that warranted acquiring ShotSpotter remain relevant, and the service is still needed. As demonstrated in the graph above, the disparate number of 9-1-1 calls as compared to the number of shots fired indicated by ShotSpotter continue to be disparate. The SPD will continue to evaluate the information provided by ShotSpotter on a regular basis to determine its effectiveness into the future.
The City Council provided clear direction through the FY 2016-17 budget process to move forward with a contract extension with ShotSpotter. Adoption of this Agreement formalizes the direction already provided by Council and authorizes the expenditure of funds for the annual subscription.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The ShotSpotter System, as it is currently configured, costs $105,000 for a one-year period, an increase of $5,000 from the current fiscal year. Sufficient funding is available in the proposed FY 2017-18 Police Department General Fund Field Services Account No. 010-2422-530.
Attachment A - ShotSpotter Flex Fixed-Price Agreement