ShotSpotter Enters Retail Sector With Outdoor Gunfire Detection
SiteSecure for Retail is said to provide U.S.-based retailers with dedicated security experts and custom-tailored outdoor solutions.
ShotSpotter says its own gunfire data shows a significant increase in retail area shootings, rising 42% from 2019 to 2020 in areas with ShotSpotter coverage.
NEWARK, Calif. — ShotSpotter (Nasdaq: SSTI), based here, announces the introduction of a new gunfire detection solution for retail chains and malls.
ShotSpotter SiteSecure for Retail is said to alert retail security personnel within seconds of a shooting incident around their stores and parking lots, thereby protecting retail shoppers and associates by enabling faster response by security, law enforcement and medical personnel.
Fatalities and violent incidents in retail spiked to an all-time high in 2020, increasing 40% since 2016, according to the latest D&D Daily retail crime report cited in the announcement.
The findings revealed that 88% of the fatalities were from gunfire and that parking lots experienced the highest retail violence, followed closely by stores and malls.
ShotSpotter said its own gunfire data also showed a significant increase in retail area shootings, rising 42% from 2019 to 2020 in areas with ShotSpotter coverage. The increase includes 5,141 confirmed gunfire incidents within a quarter mile of retail establishments in 2019, to 7,299 in 2020.
The retail establishments represented a mix of grocers, discount/dollar stores, big box retailers, home improvement/DIY, and supply chain/distribution centers that fell within U.S. coverage areas for ShotSpotter.
SiteSecure for Retail is a new program that provides U.S.-based retailers with dedicated security experts, custom-tailored solutions for enhanced perimeter security, simplified pricing bundles, and seamless integration into existing video surveillance, access controls, and other security technologies. It complements similar programs for corporate facilities, government buildings and college campuses.
SiteSecure’s core technology uses acoustic sensors to listen for loud, impulsive sounds that could be gunshots. Using a combination of machine learning and human review, incidents are quickly verified and alerts are sent to law enforcement and security teams including a precise location of the incident, number of rounds fired, and tactical information, according to the announcement.
The alerts are said to provide a critical time advantage that enable security officials to quickly mobilize and safely mitigate the threat. SiteSecure’s technology is already used in over 100 cities across the U.S. to provide public safety personnel with a critical time advantage needed to act quickly and confidently in a crisis situation, according to the announcement.
“Going with your family to the mall or department store should be a safe and secure everyday event, but sadly we have seen the threats of gun violence escalate to levels that have retailers seeking new solutions to ensure public safety in and around their establishments,” says Ralph A. Clark, president and CEO of ShotSpotter. “With SiteSecure for Retail, we can help retail locations provide a 24 x 7 outdoor ‘dome of protection’ for the people who work, shop and congregate in these locations and ensure first responders are notified quickly in a shooting event.”
As part of the program, ShotSpotter has partnered with the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) to provide resources and expertise to loss prevention and security leaders in retail. LPF and ShotSpotter will co-host a webinar featuring former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton on the topic, “Managing the New Normal – Perspectives on the State of Public Safety and the Impact on Retail Security.” The session is open to the public and will be held on April 15 (1 p.m. EDT).
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