What Effect Does GDT Have on Officer Reponses to and Time Spent on Gunfire Scenes? An Analysis of Automated Vehicle Locator and GDT Data

• In Event: The Efficacy of Gunshot Detection Systems in U.S. Cities

Abstract

GDT research has largely focused on the effect of the technology on police officer responses to gunfire events. While prior research has traditionally found rapid response by patrol officers has a negligible effect on crime occurrence, more recent research indicates quicker response times may generate positive benefits for criminal investigations. Criminal investigations can also benefit from officers spending extended time canvassing crime scenes for the purpose of collecting evidence and securing witness statements. For these reasons, police use of GDT may improve patrol officer responses. To explore whether GDT offers such benefits, we triangulate automated vehicle locator (AVL), GDT, and shots fired calls for service data. AVL data improves upon prior research by providing precise measures of response times and time spent on crime scenes. We test whether police officers responding to GDT detections display quicker response times, longer times spent on scene, and closer proximity to gunshot locations than officers responding to 911 calls for service.

Authors

• George Mohler, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

• Eric L. Piza, Northeastern University

• Jeremy Carter, Indiana University