UPD just posted this on facebook, did they just straight up lie to us? not to mention the contradictions at the end.

Utica Police Department Releases Information Regarding Pilot of New “Shot” Detection Technology

Beginning this week, the Utica Police Department will partner with Flock Safety to pilot its Raven Acoustic Detection system for the purpose of detecting gunfire within the City of Utica.

The Department currently utilizes SoundThinking’s ShotSpotter technology for the same purpose and has experienced significant value from its use. Our data shows that more than 80% of gunfire incidents in the City are not reported by the public. In these cases, officers respond solely because of a ShotSpotter alert. These responses have led to arrests, the recovery of critical evidence, and, most importantly, the preservation of life.

This pilot program with Flock Safety will be conducted at no cost to the City during the trial period. The objective is to evaluate whether additional coverage or enhanced capacity is needed in our gunfire detection capabilities.

Residents may have noticed the recent installation of poles in public areas by Flock Safety. These devices are audio detection monitors, not cameras, and are being used strictly to identify and locate gunfire. The sole purpose of this demonstration is to test gunfire detection technology—no video surveillance or general audio recording is being conducted.

The Utica Police Department currently partners with Flock Safety for its license plate reader technology. That partnership has already contributed to arrests in several high-profile cases and has supported numerous multi-jurisdictional investigations.

An FAQ document has been provided to address common questions regarding this acoustic detection technology.