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Technology to assist finding celebratory gunfire

Posted at 10:56 PM, Dec 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-31 20:13:40-05

On New Year's and on the 4th of July, police are put on high alert. They say it is during those two holidays that they get the most reports of celebratory gunfire.

In 2014, Riviera Beach Police say they saw 30 incidents with 182 shots fired between New Year's and New Year's Eve.

On Wednesday, the department began going door to door in neighbors with the highest number of celebratory shots fired.

Sgt. Glen Meyer says with the help of ShotSpotter, a system of radars throughout the city, they are able to map out where shots are fired.

"We can actually hone in within probably 5-6 feet of where an incident has occurred," Sgt. Meyer said.

This year police are using the data collected in 2014 to warn people of the consequences. Along with flyers handed out, Meyer says they sent out certified letters to homeowners where gun fire was detected.

The night of New Year's Eve, the department says it will deploy patrol officers to watch for gunfire; anyone caught discharging a firearm in public will be arrested, they say.