Using gunshot detection systems in police departments: The impact on police response times and officer workloads

Gunshot detection systems are defined as technologically advanced acoustic sensing systems capable of identifying, discriminating and reporting gun shots within one second of a shot being fired. Manufacturers of gunshot detection systems propose that the technology can significantly decrease officer response times to random gunfire calls for service as well as indi rectly control random gunfire problems. Our paper examines some of the organizational imphcations of using gunshot detection systems in local law enforcement agencies. Drawing from a two-month field trial of a gun shot detection system implemented in Dallas, Tex., our paper explores the impact of the technology on officer response times and officer workloads. Our results suggest that implementation of gunshot detection technology in Dallas reduced officer response times by about one minute (7% reduc tion) yet significantly increased officer workloads