HAZLETON -- Police are still looking for the people who fired shots Wednesday morning in Hazleton. This incident comes as the city's top cop is making an effort to bring in new technology that could help police find shooters more quickly.
Hazleton's police chief says the shots fired Wednesday are an example of why the technology called "Shot Spotter" is needed. He just finished writing and submitting a request for a federal grant that would pay for the entire high-tech system.
"It's crazy," said Cathy Mihalik of Hazleton. "We're in our kitchen, I mean, someone could've actually got shot, maybe, in their house."
The most recent gunfire incident happened Wednesday along South Poplar Street and Juniper Street in Hazleton.
No one was hurt, and police have no suspects.
"I've used Shot Spotter, and I have it from other organizations that I led. It is so timely," said Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale.
The Shot Spotter program would put just over 20 sensors throughout the city, and alert police instantly anytime a gun is fired in Hazleton. It would not only tell them where those shots were fired, but even the caliber of gun used.
"The second a gunshot goes off, it hits the cop's phone. It hits the cop's computer," the chief explained.
Chief Speziale believes with this system, before people get the chance to call 911, police could already be on their way to the scene.
From their phone, police could even to listen to audio of the shot.
The city hopes to get about $420,000 in federal money to pay for the entire gunshot detection system. It will know if it gets the grant by October. If it gets the grant, Hazleton's police chief believes the Shot Spotter system could be put in place within about 30 days.
