BJA FY 23 The Smart Policing Initiative Grant Program, IMPD ShotSpotter

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and its research partner the National Policing Institute (the Institute) apply for category 3 funding under the BJA Smart Policing Initiative grant program to support effective implementation of gunshot detection (GSD) technology in high crime areas. IMPD has recently completed a competitive bid and review process, including field testing, with several GSD technology vendors and has decided to enter into a contract with SoundThinking, developers of ShotSpotter, Inc. GSD technology, for GSD implementation in IMPD’s East District. IMPD and the Institute seek funding to support evidence-based decision making in IMPD’s implementation of the system, including but not limited to policy and training. IMPD is at a critical juncture in its adoption of this new technology, and implementation decisions will be decisive in whether the technology, once deployed, meets its full potential as a crime fighting tool to effectively combat Indianapolis’s problem of high and rising gun crime. IMPD’s field testing provides an initial evidence base for implementation decisions, including both preliminary data from the system and qualitative feedback from officers using the system. However, there is a deficit of rigorous evaluation of how GSD implementation affects system efficacy. The proposed evaluation will help IMPD make data-informed, tailored decisions on the implementation of GSD technology, with strategic attention to resource allocation and risk mitigation issues.