SANTA FE, N.M. – Santa Fe is the latest city looking to add new sensors that reportedly can detect when someone fires a gun. 

This same program is already being used in Albuquerque and police say it’s been a success. The police department says this will not only help them keep people safe, it can also help reduce violent crime, and help officers collect evidence when shots are fired. 

“We need more technology to keep people safe,” said Mayor Alan Webber. 

The City of Santa Fe believes technology is ShotSpotter sensors. 

The companies say those sensors are placed on top of buildings or streetlamps, and can accurately detect where a gunshot was fired. Within minutes, police are notified of the exact location. 

“What this technology does is provide rapid reporting of a shot being fired that is both accurate in location and time. It gets police there faster, so they may be able to save lives,” said Webber. 

Webber says one of the big advantages of this program is its accuracy in determining if a gun was actually fired. 

City plans on using a $380,000 grant to secure tech for a one-year pilot program. If approved, it will be installed in two different areas where police often respond to crime. 

“The phone calls to report shots fired aren’t always accurate. Sometimes people don’t call at all, or they misidentify a shot from the backfire of a car or a firecracker,” said Webber. 

Albuquerque has been using the same exact technology since 2020. In 2024, APD told KOB 4 that gunshots in areas where the sensors are located were down 24% from the previous year. 

“I’m hopeful we are on a fast track to get this done,” said Webber.

The mayor says a formal plan is expected to be presented to city council in the next few weeks. If it’s approved, the first sensors could be up in the next few months.