You might hear gunshots coming from downtown Wednesday but it’s all part of the Denver Police Department’s warning system

Expect to hear the sound of gunshots between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m.

Two Denver Police officers run through a suicide scenario inside the Denver Police Academy's VirTra virtual reality training system, Nov. 13, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Two Denver Police officers run through a suicide scenario inside the Denver Police Academy's VirTra virtual reality training system, Nov. 13, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

staff photos

Denver police will shoot bullets into a special trap that absorbs the energy of the ammo in order to calibrate its gunshot detection system Wednesday evening and into the night.

The Denver Police Department performs periodic tests of ShotSpotter tech, which pinpoints the location of gunfire so that 911 dispatchers know where to send officers in a live emergency.

“The live-gunfire tests will consist of a sequence of gunshots followed by validation of sound detection by the system,” DPD said in a statement. “During the tests, a bullet trap will be used to ensure public safety — no bullets will be fired into the air or ground, and there is no danger to the public.”

Expect to hear the sound of gunshots between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m.

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