CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Dec. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ShotSpotter (Pty) Ltd., a subsidiary of ShotSpotter, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI), a leader in precision policing technology solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate, and deter crime, announced today that a new phase of a ShotSpotter acoustic gunshot detection project has been rolled out in Hanover Park, with other suburbs to also shortly receive the technology.

ShotSpotter will assist the City of Cape Town’s metro police and South African Police Service (SAPS) to respond more effectively to escalating gunshot incidents in these hotspot areas, with innocent victims being caught in the crossfire on a regular basis. This new phase follows an initial phase of the project that ran from 2016 to 2019, where ShotSpotter technology was installed and operational in Hanover Park and Manenberg and resulted in over 200 lives being saved, a significant reduction in shooting incidents, and the recovery of illegal guns jumping five-fold in these areas.

ShotSpotter is an acoustic gunshot detection system that alerts law enforcement authorities to gunfire incidents within 60 seconds of trigger pull, enabling a fast and precise response. This enhanced response ultimately helps metro police officers and SAPS improve public safety by enabling life-saving trauma interventions to gunshot wound victims, collecting critical evidence for follow on investigations, and aiding in getting criminals and their weapons off the streets.

The assistance ShotSpotter provides to law enforcement was recently recognised by National Minister of Police Bheki Cele who stated that the technology has “both a proactive and reactive value and enhances policing in gang-infested hotspots” and for this reason the “police is in support of utilising the technology as part of its multi-disciplinary approach encompassed in the Safer City Policing model.”

The new phase of the project deploys ShotSpotter technology in a 9 square kilometre area in Hanover Park (with other suburbs to also shortly receive the rollout) and is being used in conjunction with CCTV cameras and other aerial surveillance technologies in order to help law enforcement identify shooters and lead to successful arrests and prosecutions. Since going live in the first week of December 2022, ShotSpotter has detected 68 gunfire incidents and 224 total shots fired in the coverage area. The information gathered so far has enabled law enforcement to identify high risk areas in Hanover Park where crime operations to retrieve illegal firearms will be targeted.

“We are pleased to be re-deployed in Hanover Park in Cape Town and look forward to assisting the City of Cape Town and its Metro Police department in collaboration with SAPS in responding more effectively to gun violence in this and other vulnerable communities,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of ShotSpotter. “We hope to continue expanding our engagement with SAPS and other South African municipalities seeking to improve public safety through more effective and holistic response to gangsters with guns.”

Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis said, “The City of Cape Town is doing more to increase safety in communities impacted by high crime levels and making use of innovative technology like ShotSpotter greatly assists our officers to provide quicker response times and arrest more criminals. This project emphasises our targeted focus on innovation and the benefit of intelligence-driven crime fighting for residents. Investments in cutting-edge technology will help make residents feels safer in Cape Town, and more innovative projects are planned for 2023.”

Western Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Patekile also welcomed the re-deployment of the technology saying, “ShotSpotter will assist SAPS in responding quickly to gunshot incidents in these areas. We have seen how successful this technology was when deployed previously in hotspots, which is why we support this programme.”

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements regarding the company’s technology and its ability to help the City of Cape Town’s metro police and South African Police Service (SAPS) to respond more effectively to escalating gunshot incidents. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intend,” variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the company’s control. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to the effective use of the company’s technology and achieving its intended benefits, as well as other risk factors included in the company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

About ShotSpotter (Pty) Ltd.
ShotSpotter (Pty) Ltd., a subsidiary of ShotSpotter, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI), brings the power of digital transformation to law enforcement and community assistance groups. We are trusted by more than 200 customers and 2,500 agencies to drive more efficient, effective, and equitable public safety outcomes, making communities healthier. Our platform includes the flagship product, ShotSpotter Respond™, the #1 gunshot detection system for rapid response to gunfire to save the lives of victims; Coplink X, the #1 investigative lead search tool to accelerate crime solving; Investigate and GCM, case management software to produce courtroom-ready cases; and Connect, analyst software that plans deployment of limited patrol resources for maximum impact. ShotSpotter has been designated a Great Place to Work® Company. 

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