Shotspotter tests successful, system goes live in Salinas

Salinas police activated the new ShotSpotter system after tests in five locations around the city were deemed a success Wednesday night

“We would fire multiple rounds and a couple single rounds. There were people with ShotSpotter there that would check to make sure that the rounds were recorded in the correct location and that it would pick up the exact number of rounds all over the city,” said Salinas Police Commander Mike Groves. “It went very well.”

In fact, maybe a little too well for a couple of people who were breaking the law. During the test, ShotSpotter detected two cases of gunfire that weren’t coming from the police.

“While we were doing the test, we recorded two separate shootings that happened. We sent officers down to investigate,” said Graves. “The system was just about ready to go live and we actually put it live right after that.”

Although the city is keeping the location of the sensors close to the vest, the sensors cover about seven square miles, in some of the city’s more dangerous areas.

“We just kind of put the information together over a two-year period and we looked at where the logical spots would be. So we could draw a perimeter around those various spots in the city that were getting the most gunfire,” said Graves.

Manuel Urbina, who was visiting his mom in Chinatown, believes the program is a good idea.

“It’s a good thing,” he said, “especially for my mom, or the homeless. It catches people that just come down here and shoot innocent people who are just out here on the street and have nowhere to go, you know what I mean?”

Elsa, a longtime Chinatown resident, says the extra security is welcomed.

“The police good,” she said. “The police good right now.”

The State of California is funding the first three years of ShotSpotter service. After that, it will need to be renewed.

Salinas police are excited about the new system, but urge the public to stay alert and report gunshots.

“Certainly we have high hopes for it,” said Graves, “but I think the biggest thing is that we don’t want anyone to assume that because they hear a shot it’s going to be picked up and were going to respond. We still want people to call.”