PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria City Council Tuesday night unanimously agreed to extend the police department’s contract with ShotSpotter.
The contract runs for three years and will cost about $900,000.
Peoria Police Crime Analyst Jason Moushon spoke to the council about the importance of ShotSpotter technology in finding shell casings.
“Without ShotSpotter, our officers wouldn’t have these shell casings. Multiple studies have shown that without ShotSpotter, we are only aware of about 20% of the shootings that happen in Peoria. Before ShotSpotter, we only knew of about 15%,” Moushon said.
Bullet casings are considered key evidence in solving many shootings.
ShotSpotter is more important than ever, Moushon said, due to an increase in shootings involving high capacity rounds.
Outgoing Council member Beth Jensen said ShotSpotter is an “incredible” tool.
“The city’s been utilizing it for ten years, since I joined this council, and I think it’s very important…it’s been very important to the police and to the older neighborhoods where it’s being utilized,” Jensen said.
“I’m pleased to see it expanded by a mile up north, I think that’s very important,” Jensen added.
