Colorado Springs police test gunshot detectors ahead of deployment
It’s a story KRDO News first brought to you a few months ago, a gunshot detection system called FireFLY being installed around the city.
Tuesday, the network of sensors was put to the test and neighbors in the southern part of Colorado Springs may have even heard them. Police were out in the neighborhood earlier firing rounds of gunfire as a test.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to capture that on video because the partner company didn’t want us to find out where all of those sensors were.
“Day, night. This area of town is how would I say it not the best neighborhood to live in,” said Kathy Harrison who lives nearby.
“If there’s a gunshot in the area and I think I hear one, I’m probably not going to call,” said William Salmons, a neighbor.
In fact, Lt. Howard Black with the Colorado Springs Police Department says nationwide about 80 percent of gun shots fired in a neighborhood go unreported.
That’s why CSPD chose to put them in a field nearby. They may look a little strange, but they’re sensors meant to protect neighbors.
“Really the focus of this is when shots are fired, it gives us the opportunity to collect evidence that might be there and if somebody is shot, it would allow for medical to be there,” Lt. Black said.
It’s a system called firefly and it’s being put to the test.
“We’re actually doing some live firing in different areas adjusting sensors to the shots that are being fired,” said Lt. Black.
You may be wondering why this new system is getting checked out? CSPD says it’s because they want to get them up and running by the end of the week. Neighbors in the area say it’s something that already has them feeling safer.
“The cops would be in the are within minutes hopefully,” said Salmons.
So next time you hear gunshots in your neighborhood, Colorado Springs police may hear them too.
We’ve asked how many of these sensors are around the city, but the Colorado Springs police department won’t say because it’s all still so new.
That’s information we’ll keep on trying to gather.
