Council President Theo Gregory says the Wilmington City Council is expected to approve a three-year lease of a gunshot detection system.
The News Journal reports that the council is set to vote on the $415,000 ShotSpotter system lease on Thursday night.
Mayor Dennis Williams says the city will cover about a third of the new costs, and state and federal funds will cover the rest.
Police say the system will improve investigations. ShotSpotter uses sound sensors to pinpoint the origin of a gunshot within a few feet and instantly alerts dispatchers and patrol cars. The police department says it hopes to start using ShotSpotter within three months of council approval.
Gregory believes the ShotSpotter system is an upgrade over past tools.
"It's going to be an improvement over the old system," he told the paper. "It will tell you more specifically where the shot took place."
