Elkhart Police Department announce rollout of gunshot detection system
ELKHART, Ind. -- The Elkhart Police Department announced on Wednesday that for the last couple of weeks, officers have been utilizing the Flock Safety Raven Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) audio detection system within city limits in efforts to respond to gunshots more quickly.
"When coupled with our existing Flock Safety ALPR cameras, this new audio detection system allows officers to more quickly dispatch to shots fired calls," said Elkhart Police Department Public Information Officer Jessica McBrier. "This technology can help EPD increase case clearance, solve more crime, and reduce crime rates in the community."
According to the EPD, the Raven device is a microphone designed to monitor audio and identify gunshots with the goal of alerting first responders.
"Gunshot detection units capture short audio clips of their surroundings, interpret that audio to detect specific sound patterns, and, ultimately, alert an officer when the system has captured the sound of a potential gunshot," McBrier said. "The automated process of capture, analysis, and comparison typically takes seconds, and the system notifies officers with a narrowed geographical location."
According to Flock, the company that developed the Raven device, it can detect gunshots from up to 90 feet away and notify officers within one minute.
The devices are placed in strategic locations, which were selected after analyzing calls for service data from the Elkhart City 911 Communications Center.
The EPD has had a contract with Flock since 2021 to use the company's ALPR technology. According to EPD, the integration of Raven with existing LPR cameras allows for the triangulation of gunshot locations and vehicle tracking, providing valuable information for investigators.
“The Elkhart Police Department now has a new tool in its toolbox for investigating and quickly resolving shooting cases,” said EPD Chief Dan Milanese. “I thank the City Administration and the City Council for recognizing the value of this technology and appropriating the funds to integrate this device with our existing ALPR technology.”