(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City official wants to use technology to bring down the use of guns in his community.

 

Councilman Bryant Dabney said technology is already being used elsewhere to alert police when shots are fired and the exact location where they were fired. Dabney believes that could solve more gun-related cases.

 

“If you have units in the area, they can respond quickly to those shots,” Dabney said.

 

Dabney said installing more surveillance cameras at homes in the city should also be explored. To pay for this expense, Dabney says the city could use some of its $13 million in federal COVID-19 relief dollars to provide sound detection equipment and cameras.

 

According to the city’s annual crime report, there were 399 shots-fired complaints to the police department last year compared to 386 in 2020.

 

Despite a slight increase, homicides in Michigan City last year dropped from eight to six, and people wounded by gunfire fell from 24 to 19.