Martinsville is gearing up to install and activate 140 gunshot detectors across the city as part of an initiative aimed at improving response times to gun-related incidents.
Martinsville Police Chief Robert “Rob” Fincher said the detectors are a component of the Virginia’s Attorney General’s Office Operation Ceasefire Virginia, a statewide program dedicated to reducing gun violence. “One of the things they offered was money for doing this type of project, whatever they can try to do to lower gun violence,” he said.
Fincher explained that while Martinsville does not face overwhelming gun violence, even a single instance is too many. “One act of gun violence is too many, in my opinion,” Fincher said. He added that the early-warning system provided by the detectors will allow for real-time alerts to officers in the field, ensuring faster responses without waiting for a 911 call to be processed.
Officers are “advised of it immediately when they’re in their car,” he said, adding that the detectors, strategically placed throughout the city, use triangulations to pinpoint gunfire locations. “Martinsville’s very hilly, which makes it challenging,” Fincher said. The system requires three detectors to pick up a single sound for an accurate location. “In flatter areas, the detectors can cover a larger radius, but in hilly parts, the range is more limited, necessitating additional detectors.”
The project, fully funded by the Attorney General’s Office, did not require local funding, a significant advantage for Martinsville’s budget. Some detectors are mounted on black poles, which residents may notice, while others are attached to telephone poles and less visible.
Currently, adjustments are underway to optimize detector placement and coverage. Fincher expects the system to go live in phases across different city sections, with full coverage anticipated in the coming months. “It will probably go live in stages. Over time, we’ll see improved accuracy as the system becomes fully operational,” he said. “But ideally, it’s a system we hope we rarely, if ever, have to use.”
To ensure accuracy, the detectors will undergo a calibration phase, learning to differentiate between gunshots and other similar sounds, such as fireworks. “It’s not like a regular microphone. It doesn’t pick up voices or general noises, but rather taps into a specific frequency associated with gunfire,” Fincher explained.
While hopeful about the potential impact of the new system, Fincher said he views it as a preventive measure. “This technology has shown promising results in other areas. We’re optimistic, but we hope it’s something we won’t need to rely on frequently.”
