(KGTV) -- A new technology that can hear gunfire and help police respond quicker is coming to three San Diego neighborhoods.
The Shot Spotter gunshot detection system is a forensic tool, an audio sensor, that can not only prove that a shooting took place, but how many shots were fired and from where.
It allows police to be notified instantly that a shooting has taken place, without anyone needing to dial 911.
The City of San Diego may soon be installing them on light poles and public buildings in Encanto, Skyline and Paradise Hills.
The system can differentiate gunshots from other noises like fireworks and motorcycles. A number of other cities already use the system, including San Francisco, where police say gun violence is down 50 percent, because would-be criminals have a higher fear of getting caught.
Abel Mendoza, a grandfather in Encanto, says he's happy to learn the system is coming to his neighborhood.
“You never know where they’re shooting, they can shoot up in the air, and a bullet can come through a window or door, you never know,” said Mendoza, who has heard gunfire before. (The Shot Spotter) “makes me feel better, safer.”
The city will make progress on the project as early as next month.
