Worcester Police Release July 4th Celebration Advisory

Friday, July 03, 2015
GoLocalWorcester News Team

The Worcester Police Department has released a July 4th Celebration advisory for the resident of Worcester. The WPD will have zero tolerance of illegal gun use with celebratory gunfire and illegal fireworks.

Here is the full advisory from the WPD:

Celebratory gunfire remains a big problem in many cities, particularly during the July 4th holiday season. Sadly, it often has tragic results when innocent people are hit by the bullets, are injured or killed. The reality is that any bullet discharged from a gun, even into the sky, must land somewhere, and when it does, there's significant risk of injury or death.

The Worcester Police Department and the City of Worcester are committed to a policy of zero tolerance of illegal gun use and our initiative to combat gun violence in this community. Our mission is to protect the quality of life for all residents throughout our community by creating an environment of enhanced safety and security.

During the upcoming holiday, the police department will be deploying patrol officers in specific areas of the City that have the highest amount of illegal gun and fireworks activity as recorded by ShotSpotter during last year's holiday season. Officers will respond to all ShotSpotter activations throughout the City, particularly in these areas, and arrest anyone caught discharging a firearm in public. As normal, officers will also be deployed throughout the City to maintain the peace, prevent crime and violence, and arrest drunk drivers.

The Worcester Police Department utilizes the ShotSpotter gunfire alert and analysis solution to detect and locate gunfire incidents and gather gunfire intelligence and data to fight crime and violence in Worcester. The solution provides real-time and immediate gunshot location data, enabling informed decisions for faster and more accurate emergency response, while improving situational intelligence and increasing first responder safety. The ShotSpotter gunfire alert data and intelligence also provides the WPD with more forensic evidence leading to more thorough investigations and increased prosecutions for gun-related crime, in addition to enhancing crime analysis and data-driven policing capabilities, helping improve public safety and security.