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PITTSBURGH (AP) — City Council may extend a contract to use technology that identifies gunshots and automatically notifies police in Pittsburgh's highest-crime areas. Councilman Ricky Burgess wants the city to spend $135,000 to extend the city's contract to use ShotSpotter through 2016. The city began testing the system in 2014 and has so far paid SST Inc. $194,000 to install its equipment and operate the system. The company is based in Newark, California. The system uses sensors that pick up gunfire sounds and relay that information to a technician. The technician is able to determine the location and whether the noise is actually gunfire and alert police within 30 to 45 seconds. Police say the technology helped them arrest a homicide suspect last week and has made the area where it's used safer.

City Council may extend ShotSpotter contract in Pittsburgh