Mayor Brandon Johnson has a big decision to make this week: Will he keep his campaign promise and decline to renew ShotSpotter’s contract when it expires Friday? We’re diving into what’s at stake and why Chicagoans are divided.
What is ShotSpotter?
The technology uses microphones and sensors to identify gunfire sounds and alert police.
Why is it Controversial?
In the seven years since Chicago first contracted the company, which has since rebranded to SoundThinking, Chicagoans have been divided.
Supporters say ShotSpotter helps police arrive at the scene more quickly. Critics say the technology is expensive and unfairly targets Black and brown neighborhoods. There are also questions about the tech’s accuracy, the Reader reported.
ShotSpotter proponents and opponents spoke up at a heated meeting in Auburn Gresham Thursday, Block Club reported.
Is ShotSpotter Reliable?
The Cook County state’s attorney's office is the latest body to question ShotSpotter’s efficacy, according to the Sun-Times.
- The state’s attorney found ShotSpotter helped make arrests in 1% of more than 12,000 incidents over five years.
- The MacArthur Justice Center reported in 2021 that 86% of Chicago police deployments from ShotSpotter alerts prompted no formal crime reports.
- The city’s top watchdog also found ShotSpotter alerts rarely led to gun-related charges.
Mayor Brandon Johnson campaigned on ending the city’s contract with ShotSpotter. (Jim Vondruska / Getty)
So What Will Johnson Do?
The first-term mayor has stayed silent on what he will do this week. He did sign a contract extension in June, but said it was left over from the last administration. Johnson-appointed Chicago Police Department Chief Larry Snelling has vocally supported ShotSpotter and other policing technologies.
