SBPD ShotSpotter Map Released to Redress South Bend
- Logan Foster
- Jun 12
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 30
Title: SBPD ShotSpotter Map Released to Redress South Bend
Author: Logan Foster Date: 06/12/2025 The South Bend Police Department (SBPD) has taken a step toward transparency by releasing the ShotSpotter coverage map exclusively to Redress South Bend. The decision comes after a prior denial of access through an Access to Public Records Request (APRA).
If you’re unfamiliar with ShotSpotter, it is a technology that uses acoustic sensors to detect, locate, and report gunfire to law enforcement. The process involves detecting impulsive sounds, filtering them via algorithms, and verifying incidents through human review. The aim is to enable faster police response to gunshot incidents, even in cases that go unreported by citizens.
Limited Coverage in South Bend
The City of South Bend has deployed ShotSpotter technology across just 7.5 of its approximately 44 square miles. The system’s approximately 80 sensors are strategically placed throughout the mapped areas. Redress South Bend possesses the list of the 80 sensor locations in South Bend, and we may release that in a future article.
Future Questions To Consider
Should coverage be expanded, refined, or reconsidered? Are technologies like ShotSpotter deployed overwhelmingly in minority communities? And lastly, how does a city like South Bend balance technology, community trust, and public safety?
