Morgan Hill Police Department (MHPD) achieved impressive results, including solving an aggravated assault with a firearm case, with the help of Flock Safety Raven® audio detection device and Flock Safety Falcon® LPR cameras. MHPD has been a Flock Safety LPR user since August of 2021, with 178 arrests (approximately 3/week) and 634 criminal offenses charged from LPR alone. Seeking to solve and deter more gun-related crimes, MHPD decided to add Flock Safety Raven® gunshot detection technology in February 2023.

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CHALLENGE: Reducing False Positive Calls for Service

Like many cities in the United States, Morgan Hill has experienced gun-related crimes. Still, more often than not, 911 callers confuse fireworks for gunshots, which can constrain limited Dispatch resources. MHPD wanted an efficient way to rule out false positives and quickly respond to true gun crimes for public safety and effective resource allocation.

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SOLUTION: Take crime-solving technology to the next level by layering gunshot detection over Flock LPR

MHPD chose Flock Safety Raven® audio detection device for gunshot detection because of its accuracy, speed, and ability to help expedite investigations before case decay sets in. They also paired it with Flock Safety Falcon® LPR cameras for additional support. After implementing the technology, MHPD experienced immediate results with a solved case that would have otherwise gone cold.

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The Results: Dispatch and Patrol Use Real-Time Intelligence to Expedite Case Clearance and Protect Officer Safety

On April 9th, 2023, MHPD received a Raven alert for multiple shots fired downtown, corroborating incoming 911 calls. Officers responded immediately and began conducting a field investigation, where an eye-witness reported a gold Honda as being involved.

Using Flock Safety LPR Search in FlockOS, an MHPD dispatcher quickly identified the suspect vehicle and its tag number, creating a hot list alert. Not long after that, she alerted officers that the suspect vehicle had hit on a Falcon LPR camera near a hospital in a neighboring jurisdiction. A call from hospital staff reported a gunshot wound victim had just been dropped off, corroborating that hit.

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Due to the dispatcher's investigative work in FlockOS, officers had time to arrive at the suspect's residence to intercept the vehicle when returning home. Having time on their side, they deployed spike strips to stop the car and arrest the driver.

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Meanwhile, officers noted a second vehicle running interference for the first vehicle. The same dispatcher used the Convoy Analysis feature in FlockOS to confirm the second vehicle had been traveling with the first vehicle for most of that day. She then used LPR to track the second vehicle and warned officers that it was circling back toward them so they could be prepared. As a result, officers conducted a safe stop and confidently made a second arrest.

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MHPD's use of Flock Safety's technology led to the resolution of a severe crime in just under 90 minutes. The ability to respond quickly to gunfire incidents and identify suspect vehicles using LPR cameras has allowed the department to apprehend violent offenders and prevent more serious crimes from occurring.

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The Results: Dispatch and Patrol Use Real-Time Intelligence to Expedite Case Clearance and Protect Officer Safety

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