DHS S&T details gunshot detection technology

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently announced a collaboration with Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) based in Rowly, Mass., which resulted in the development of SDS Outdoor, a portable Gunshot Detection System technology to aid law enforcement.

“Many U.S. gunshot detection technologies are not easily deployed in the field or at temporary locations,” DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dimitri Kusnezov said. “This new system can be moved by one or two officers without the need for technicians to transport and set up. This mobile capability will help responders approach gun violence incidents with greater awareness, reducing response times and increasing responder safety.”

Participating law enforcement agencies who participated in the evaluations offered feedback to aid in making the system more effective in detecting and alerting responders to gunshots.

“We’ve now transitioned the system to SDS to commercialize the technology and make it available to law enforcement agencies and first responders nationwide,” S&T First Responder Technology Program Manager Anthony Caracciolo said. “The new system fills a gap identified by the First Responder Resource Group by extending gunshot detection capabilities to locations that do not support fixed deployments.”

SDS Outdoor complements other S&T-developed detection and tracking technologies that include MappedIn Response and Detection of Presence of Life through Walls, which officials said provides responders with a holistic view of what they are encountering to coordinate responses accordingly.