STATEN ISLAND — The city plans to install a ShotSpotter system to the first Staten Island precinct next year, with the borough's district attorney pushing to expand it further.
In a letter to the mayor, DA Michael McMahon asked for the area covered in the borough to grow by 50 percent before it's installed.
"While I applaud the city for its commitment to bringing the ShotSpotter system to Staten Island, the current plan needs to be expanded to address safety concerns and violence in other areas that have historically been plagued with gun violence,” said McMahon in a statement.
“With a 50 percent increase in the coverage area, we could ensure that all of the critical areas where gun violence persists are indeed covered."
Last year, the city rolled out a pilot of the ShotSpotter system — which uses audio sensors to pinpoint gunshots and sends notifications to police even if 911 wasn't called — to precincts in Brooklyn and The Bronx.
► READ MORE: Here's How the NYPD's Expanding ShotSpotter System Works
Mayor Bill de Blasio allocated $3 million in this year's budget to bring the system to all five boroughs, with the NYPD's 120th Precinct targeted to get it on Staten Island.
The mayor's office directed questions on expanding Staten Island's coverage to the NYPD. The NYPD said it expected the system to start in the 120th precinct in the spring but did not say if other precincts were being considered.
While the 120th Precinct had a higher number of gun violence incidents this year, the 121st had a bigger increase in the number of arrests, according to the District Attorney's office.
So far this year, the 121st Precinct has had 53 gun arrests, up from 29.3 percent last year. The 120th has had 59 gun arrests so far, up from 18 percent in 2015.
