By Ashley Silver
Police1
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) have introduced a new portable Gunshot Detection System that can provide critical information about outdoor shooting incidents nearly instantaneously to first responders.
The system, called SDS Outdoor, was developed in collaboration between the DHS, ST&T and Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) according to a press release.
The portable system identifies the sound and flash of a gunshot to detect and validate each shot, reducing false positives. The system is ideal for events such as outdoor concerts or rallies.
“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,” Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov, DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology, said in the release.
Prototype testing started in January 2022 and included demonstrations with feedback acquired from participating law enforcement agencies through evaluations. Now, DHS and S&T are moving to a new phase of the project.
“We’ve now transitioned the system to SDS to commercialize the technology and make it available to law enforcement agencies and first responders nationwide,” said Anthony Caracciolo, S&T First Responder Technology Program Manager. “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.”