The Peoria area where the most gunshots are fired may soon get some special law enforcement technology. The Peoria City Council votes on the $405,000, 3-year contract during tonight’s meeting.
Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard says 44-percent of the city’s shots-fired calls come from Macarthur to the south end of the city. He says the area of greatest concern constitutes about 2.5 square miles, and the system operates most cost effectively in three-square-miles. “So that gave us an extra half mile to push the boundary a little bit. So we wanted to pick up that area off Main Street and University as well. The next three square miles area that we probably would look at is the East and West Bluff. There’s as area there that another three-mile area would be well served for us.”
Settingsgaard says the Shotspotter works with 12 to 24 sensors placed within each square mile. If the City Council approves the 3-year Shotspotter contract it will be installed as soon as possible while summer foliage is still present.
Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard talks more about Shotspotter Tuesday at 6:00p.m. on Outside the Horseshoe. That’s 89.9 fm Peoria Public Radio. It's just before the station's live broadcast of the Peoria City Council Meeting.