Indianapolis, Indiana

Faced with an alarming gun crime problem and increases in recent years, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and its research partner, the National Policing Institute (NPI), are seeking to support the implementation of gunshot detection (GSD) technology. GSD works by detecting and precisely locating possible gunshots, then relaying an alert in near-real time to emergency responders, enabling a more rapid and more consistent response to gunfire incidents than reliance on the 911 call for service system. The IMPD will enter into a contract with SoundThinking to provide the physical infrastructure for GSD in the target areas and access to the associated data.

Data Highlight:

• The homicide rate in Indianapolis is consistently higher than the national average, between 17 and 18 homicides per 100,000 people since 2015.
• There was a sharp increase in homicides in Indianapolis in 2020, up to 24 homicides per 100,000, reflecting national urban trends.
• Year-to-date in 2023, the IMPD’s non-fatal shooting incidents are up 11.4% versus 2022 and up 43.1% versus 2019, the last year prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.