COILUMBUS – Folks who live or work around the former site of Cooper Stadium on the West Side are being advised that they may hear gunfire Wednesday and Thursday as the Columbus Division of Police tests the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.
Police officials say residents and businesses in the area should anticipate hearing “multiple caliber gunshots” being fired between noon and 4:00 p.m. each day.
“Testing will occur in a secure and safe environment that is away from the public,” division officials wrote in an advisory.
Anyone with concerns is encouraged to call the Columbus Division of Police non-emergency line at 614-645-4545.
Developed by California-based SoundThinking, ShotSpotter technology uses acoustic sensors to detect gunfire and notify patrol officers who can respond to gunfire before 911 is called.
A notification sent directly to patrol officers pinpoints the specific location in which the gunfire originated, allowing the officers to locate victims, render aid more quickly and ultimately helps police make more arrests, division officials say.
Police recovered made 45 arrests for weapons offenses, 29 arrests for other offenses, and seized 45 firearms based on ShotSpotter alerts in 2022, division officials said. Officers also recovered shell casings in 1,054 separate alerts.