COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus police will conduct a test of its ShotSpotter system over two days at the site of an abandoned baseball stadium.
Police said they will fire multiple caliber gunshots to test the gunfire detection system on Wednesday and Thursday at the site of Cooper Stadium, located on the south side of West Mound Street. The gunshots will be fired for testing at noon and 4 p.m. each day and take place away from the public in a secure environment.
Police are alerting nearby residents to be prepared to hear the gunshots at those times. Anyone with concerns or questions can call police at 614-645-4545.
ShotSpotter, which was developed by California-based company SoundThinking, uses acoustic sensors to detect when shots are fired before sending a notification to patrol officers telling them the location. Columbus police say that in 2022, ShotSpotter alerts led to them recovering more than 1,000 shell casings, making 74 arrests and seizing 45 firearms.
The location of the test is the former home of Columbus' minor league baseball team, the Clippers. The Clippers moved from Cooper Stadium in 2008 to Huntington Park in the Arena District.
On Monday, a plan was proposed at a Columbus City Council meeting to transform the area into a mixed-use development with apartments, an outdoor amphitheater, and retail space.