ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – More gunshot tracking technology is coming to northeast Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Police Department is expanding the sometimes controversial ShotSpotter program. 

This comes as other big cities, like Chicago, are deciding whether to get rid of their ShotSpotter networks.

The ShotSpotter program is a network of microphones hidden throughout certain parts of the city. They’re listening for gunshots, and then pinpoint the location for police to investigate.

We’ve had them in Albuquerque since 2020, and APD leaders say they’ve helped reduce gunfire in some neighborhoods.

APD leaders say the ShotSpotter technology can give them an answer right away, and that’s a big reason why they’re spending big bucks to bring those microphones to this part of town.

“These areas where we have a lot of people gathered within the community, it’s important that we understand what shots are being fired and what’s actually occurring,” said APD Chief Harold Medina. 

By the end of this summer, Albuquerque police leaders say they’ll have an extra set of ears in the city’s busiest shopping district.

“You have Winrock, you have Coronado, you have Uptown,” said Medina. “It only makes sense that with the amount of population of people that frequent this area that we have ShotSpotter installed in this area.” 

 APD leaders say the costly technology has already reduced gunfire across the city. Data shows the total number of ShotSpotter activations is down 26% from this time last year. But the planned four square mile expansion in Uptown is not necessarily focused on the actual gun shots.

“The thing that I look at is I look at the hysteria that was caused,” Medina said.

Coronado Center was evacuated twice on Black Friday and in late March after shots were fired. 

“Officers were dispatched under the impression that we had an active shooter, the public evacuated,” said Medina. “Yes, they were serious. But we also have to have the right information, and we can’t make things more serious or cause more of a hysteria than we should.”

He says the ShotSpotters can provide that information right away, but it’s not cheap. It costs at least $70,000 to cover a single square mile in ShotSpotter microphones per year.

Mayor Tim Keller says investments from the city and state are paying for this expansion, and they’ll be asking for more soon.

“Without a doubt our goal is to cover as much of the city we can, we’ve seen the benefits,” said Medina. “It’s a very practical thing for us to reduce gunfire.” 

Keller says they’ll be announcing another ShotSpotter expansion sometime this summer. But, just like Wednesday’s announcement, they can only reveal the general area.

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