ShotSpotter system coming to Village of Hempstead

The Village of Hempstead is getting a new crime-fighting tool that's already proven its merit in several other Nassau towns. Technicians were out today scouting locations for ShotSpotter gunshot detection sensors. The sensors help police pinpoint the location of gunfire and drive down response times. Hempstead officials signed a contract last week to have the sensors installed throughout most of the village. Officials say the sensors will also be equipped with cameras that zoom in once a shot has been fired. Exact sensor locations haven't yet been determined, but police say Linden Avenue and Linden Place are plagued by drug and gang violence, and will likely get sensors. The system should be in place within the next two months, officials say.