Thomasville Police Department will officially launch a safety system next week that is designed to help reduce crime and gun violence in Thomasville. With the assistance of Flock Safety System, over 90 gunshot protection devices have been installed, with cameras and license plate recognition device installations to begin next week.
The new system will work in partnership with Thomasville Police Department officers by providing real-time information to better aid officer response. According to Major Shane Harris from the Thomasville Police Department, the system will provide responding officers with immediate information when a crime occurs so the officer is more prepared upon arrival.
“If there’s an incident involving a shooting, this new system will alert us that gunshots were detected so an officer is not going into a scene blindly,” said Harris. “Officers will enter dangerous situations with more information to help establish safe interactions and safe policing. Our goal is crime reduction and positive law enforcement interactions throughout the community.”
The Thomasville Police Department provided data to Flock Safety that identified hot spot areas where the largest numbers of crime incidents have occurred. Flock Safety engineers reviewed this information, selecting installation locations based on areas containing high numbers of police calls as well as best coverage areas. The system will be installed on city property and not private property.
“The Flock Safety System has and will continue to be installed on city right of ways in open areas,” noted Harris. “We will also install cameras at the major intersections and gateways of Thomasville to help improve the safety of our city and potentially assist surrounding law enforcement agencies.”
Cities currently using the system have reported declines in gunfire, gun violence, and gun crimes. “Through our initial research, some police departments were reporting a 60-70% reduction in crime after they employed this technology,” noted Harris.
Once fully installed, the Thomasville Police Department will continue to review data and crime statistics to evaluate the system’s effectiveness.
For more information, visit flocksafety.com or contact Major Harris at (229) 227-7076.