According to a newly installed gunshot detection system, Wilmington has experienced a sharp decrease in gunshots in the last six months, compared to the six months previous.
The News Journal of Wilmington reported that the city's ShotSpotter technology detected 135 incidents of gunshots from Jan. 1, 2015 to June 26. Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings says that number is 42 percent less than the 231 incidents that were recorded in the second half of 2014, when the system first launched.
In January, city police launched Operation Disrupt, which flooded the streets with more patrol officers than normal. The operation ended in June.
The city leases the ShotSpotter system from SST, a California company, for $415,000 over three years. The system uses sensors to alert authorities to nearby gunshots.
Wilmington Gunshots Decreased Over Past Year: Officials
Copyright AP - Associated Press
