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APPROVE MOTION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF STOCKTON AND SHOTSPOTTER, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $105,000 FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with ShotSpotter, Inc. for ShotSpotter Flex Gunfire Location, Alert and Analysis Service (ShotSpotter System) in the amount of $105,000, for a one-year period.
2. Approve findings pursuant to the Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070 in support of an exception to the competitive bidding process.
3. It is further recommended that the City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to make any and all expenditures and appropriations on behalf of the City as appropriate and necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
Since August 2013, the Stockton Police Department (SPD) has been using 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 SPD’s adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 budget, $105,000 is available to support an additional year of the current ShotSpotter System through June 30, 2019 (Attachment A - ShotSpotter Flex Agreement - Stockton).
DISCUSSION
Background
The City historically has significant crime associated with firearms including homicides, assault with deadly weapons, and shootings into occupied dwellings. With a focus on reducing these types of crimes and restoring order to the community, the SPD began discussions with ShotSpotter Inc. (SST), a technology vendor, regarding the opportunity to acquire the ShotSpotter System for gunshot detection. SST agreed to fully fund the installation and associated costs of the ShotSpotter System for two square miles in south Stockton for an eleven-month pilot project beginning August 1, 2013. The coverage area was selected based on analysis of data related to shots-fired calls and actual assaults with firearms.
The ShotSpotter System uses audio sensors installed in a designated coverage area to accurately identify and locate gunshots. It plots the shot locations on a map and sends alerts to the SPD, on average in less than one minute. With the SPD’s 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’s Crime Analysis Section, an average of 31 percent of ShotSpotter System alerts were also accompanied by a call-for-service from a community member, and this behavior can be correlated in the call-for-service data represented in the table below:
Present Situation
Officers from the various Operations Bureau Divisions of the SPD use ShotSpotter System alerts to investigate crimes, recover firearms used in crimes, collect shell casings as evidence, and make arrests. Because the ShotSpotter System has proved to be a valuable tool in providing information to the SPD, staff recommends that the service be continued through the end of FY 2018-19. Many of the conditions that warranted acquiring the ShotSpotter System remain relevant and the service is still needed. As demonstrated in the graph above, the 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 the ShotSpotter System on a regular basis to determine its effectiveness into the future.
Findings
Pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code (SMC) section 3.68.070, Council may approve findings which support an exception to the competitive bidding process. These findings include:
1. A gunshot detection system provides information valuable to the Police Department for investigating crimes, recovering firearms used in crimes, and collecting shell casings for evidence.
2. Stockton police statistics show only an average of 31 percent of gunfire within a specific two-mile area is currently reported.
3. By using a gunshot detection system, police officers will receive alerts directly on their mobile data computers while on patrol and be better equipped to respond by having location coordinates, time frame, and audio playback capability.
4. ShotSpotter, Inc. is the only vendor who provides this type of gunshot detection technology.
5. ShotSpotter, Inc. has been a proven and valuable partner of the City of Stockton for the last five years.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The ShotSpotter System, as it is currently configured, costs $105,000 for a one-year period. Sufficient funding is available in the FY 2018-19 Police Department General Fund Field Services Account No. 010-2422-530.
Attachment A - ShotSpotter Flex Agreement and Service Agreement - Stockton