Chicagoans Disagree

ShotSpotter was decommissioned on Sep. 22nd.
Chicagoans disagree.

  1. As a campaign promise, Mayor Brandon Johnson commits to cancel ShotSpotter’s contract.
  2. “I can tell you unequivocally that the technology and the analysis helps…we caught offenders at the scene several times because of ShotSpotter.” – Eddie Johnson, March 31, 2023
  3. Superintendent Larry Snelling stated, “I support the use of any technology that can help solve crimes and save lives…” Book Club Chicago, Jan. 24, 2024
  4. “ShotSpotter saves lives by providing the police department a much faster & accurate way to respond when shots are fired & to pinpoint the location than the 50 year old 911 system.” – Paul Vallas, Feb. 6, 2024
  5. “Let’s listen to the experts and the people living in these communities … ShotSpotter cuts response times, allows officers to render medical aid faster, preserve evidence and, yes, make arrests.” – Ald Tabares, Feb 8, 2024
  6. “Every day on the news we are hearing about people who lay in the street…. We’ve been in countless meetings with advocates, countless meetings with victims of gun violence. Their voice is not being heard in this debate..” – Anthony Driver, Chair, CCPSA, Feb. 8, 2024
  7. Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Tuesday he will not extend the Chicago Police Department’s contract with ShotSpotter, fulfilling a key campaign promise. – WTTW News, Feb 13, 2024
  8. “The City of Chicago will not renew its contract with SoundThinking that expires February 16, 2024, and will decommission the use of ShotSpotter technology on September 22, 2024.” – Mayor’s Press Office, February 13, 2024
  9. Mayor Brandon Johnson says ShotSpotter has proven to be ineffective and plans to decommission ShotSpotter on September 22, 2024.- CBS News Chicago, Feb. 13, 2024
  10. Mayor Johnson extends the ShotSpotter contract from February 16th, to September 22 in order to extend coverage thru the DNC – WTTW News, February 16, 2024
  11. Fallon Research found that 82% of the citizens of Chicago support the use of Gunshot Detection Technology to help 1st responders render swifter aid to gunshot victims. February 20, 2024
  12. City Council passed an Order on a 34 to 14 vote requiring CPD to post metrics on ShotSpotter’s performance requiring Mayor Johnson to secure City Council approval before eliminating funding for ShotSpotter – May 22, 2024
  13. “So it’s real important that we have the tools necessary to continue to fight the gun violence in our community. Don’t take away this tool that we need.” – Ald Beale, May 22, 2024
  14. “This technology brought our police to Ariana Preston… ShotSpotter was able to inform our officers, inform our first responders where to go.” – Ald Lopez, May 22, 2024
  15. “This is something my community needs. There were 90 shots, six shooters. 90 shots, six shooters. Not one person called the police.” – Ald Scott, May 22, 2024
  16. “So let’s not just forget about the police, this also helps the fire department when dispatchers dispatch the fire department an ambulance or an engine or a truck that would also save lives.” Ald Sposato, May 22, 2024
  17. “It is a tool. It doesn’t claim itself to be a shot predictor. It claims itself to be ShotSpotter, after the fact. After the constant unfortunate fact in Chicago of shots fired.” – Ald Napolitano, May 22, 2024
  18. “I’ve used ShotSpotter. And I’ve seen what happens. I’ve seen that it works…That body that I saw down there many, many times, we can’t put a price tag on. What we’re paying for ShotSpotter is invaluable.” – Ald Chico, May 22, 2024
  19. “My community wants ShotSpotter to continue to be a tool that the police can use…a 53-year- old man…was shot and ultimately killed. There was not one 911 call that was placed for that man. ShotSpotter brought the police and EMTs over there.” – Ald Lee, May 22, 2024
  20. “I cancelled ShotSpotter. It’s cancelled,” Johnson said. CBS News Chicago, May 22, 2024
  21. “If we take away ShotSpotter, which alerts officers to pinpoint areas of gunshots, what’s gonna take its place?” – Ald Moore, May 27, 2024
  22. “No reasonable person would say that our police should not respond to gunfire on our streets. No reasonable person would say that our government should not attempt to save the lives of the victims of gunfire. And no reasonable person would say we should not attempt to apprehend those who shoot a firearm on our streets.” – Joe Ferguson
  23. “the #ShotSpotter got hit for 20 rounds in the parking lot at 9010 S. Commercial, full auto.” – Spot News, June 24, 2024
  24. “ShotSpotter leads to arrest for attempted murder.. firearms recovered.. felony charges approved.” – Chicago Police X post, June 24, 2024
  25. “Shots fired, 7 rounds heard at 12151 S Harvard. #ShotSpotter.. EMS is rolling for a call for a person shot, possibly a postal carrier..” – Spot News, July 19, 2024
  26. A CPD report was made public showing that, since January 1, 2023, ShotSpotter alerted CPD to incidents involving 1,976 gunshot victims, 91 of which received no call to 911 – Aug. 8, 2024
  27. “Gunmen kill 1, injure 5 at motorcycle gathering; [Racist & defective] ShotSpotter gives cops a 2-minute headstart” – Hey JackAss, Aug. 20, 2024
  28. At least two gunmen opened fire at a motorcycle gathering in Back of the Yards on Tuesday evening, leaving one man dead and five others injured. ShotSpotter provided multiple alerts from the shooting scene two minutes before 911 callers. – CWB Chicago, Aug 21, 2024
  29. CPD activated a ShotSpotter Events Dashboard that shows for the first eight months of 2024:

– ShotSpotter helped officers arrive at the scene of these shootings almost 2.5 minutes faster than when they have to rely solely upon a 911 caller.

– ShotSpotter helped officers collect over 29,000 shell casings with over 4,000 of those investigative leads coming from incidents where no one called 911.

– ShotSpotter helped officers recover 470 weapons with 65 of those weapons coming from incidents where no one called 911.

– ShotSpotter helped officers make 451 arrests, with 52 of those arrests coming from incidents where no one called 911.

– ShotSpotter is performing at a 99+% accuracy with respect to misses & mislocates

  1. “Nearly every alderman who spoke Monday voiced support for the technology .. to quickly alert police about the location of suspected gunfire.” – Chicago Tribune, Sept. 9, 2024
  2. “I’ve received over 1,500 letters of support for ShotSpotter..” – Ald. Silvana Tabares, Sept. 9, 2024
  3. “We’re sitting here fighting to try to keep some technology in place that helps this city save lives.” – Ald. Beale, Sept. 9, 2024
  4. “ShotSpotter has an accuracy rating, in current data period, of 99%. That is not ShotSpotter data. That is Chicago police.” Ald. Hopkins, Sept. 9, 2024
  5. “It’s very dangerous that we are sitting here…taking away one of the most affective tools that helps save lives.” Ald. Lopez, Sept. 9, 2024
  6. “We definitely need ShotSpotter, and it’s disingenuous for us to think anything other than that.” – Eddie Johnson, Sept. 9, 2024
  7. “With ShotSpotter, to not want to utilize something like that…we are turning no-brainers into no hearters, maybe no soulers, when we say we don’t want something that is absolutely, positively necessary…” – Pastor Donovan Price, Sept. 9, 2024
  8. “ShotSpotter should stay. Just to be clear, be prepared for an increase in homicides among primarily black & brown people as a result of them bleeding out.” – State Treasurer Susana Mendoza, Sept. 10, 2024
  9. “..ShotSpotter, .. roughly speaking, a 3-in-4 chance that the technology saves about 85 lives per year. By any measure, 85 lives saved per year would be tremendously valuable.” – University of Chicago Crime Lab, Sept. 12, 2024
  10. “We as a Council FULLY SUPPORT keeping this technology to assist our officers and help keep residents safe.” – 8th Police District Council letter to Mayor Johnson, Sept. 12, 2024
  11. Change Research publishes independpent survey showing 70% of Chicago voters support ShotSpotter, with 48% strongly supportive. A majority support across all measured racial and ethnic categories. 53% of Johnson voters also express support. – Sept. 13, 2024
  12. “Don’t take a tool that we need right now to keep our communities safe…” Ald. Moore, Sept. 13, 2024
  13. “Chicago must keep ShotSpotter. The data leaves no doubt.” – Chicago Tribune Editorial, Sept. 14, 2024
  14. “Mayor Johnson, don’t cancel ShotSpotter unless you can transition to something better.” – Civic Committee leaders, Sept. 16, 2024
  15. City council votes 33-14 to again rebuke Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to scrap ShotSpotter, September 18, 2024
  16. The case of keeping ShotSpotter, September 18, 2024
  17. Brandon’s bodies, September 23, 2024
  18. With ShotSpotter gone, Brandon Johnson takes heat from head of Chicago union, September 26, 2024
  19. Aldermen, business leaders offer $2.5M to bring back ShotSpotter, October 8, 2024
  20. Aldermen Letter regarding 7 demands for budget approval, October 29, 2024