Seven months ago, we publicly raised concerns about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to end the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system and strongly urged him to keep the system in place unless the city can find an equally effective or better alternative. With the contract set to expire on Sunday, a better alternative has yet to be determined, and there is no transition plan that maintains the important gunshot detection function that ShotSpotter serves.
We find this perplexing and troubling and urge the mayor and the City Council to get together immediately to figure out a solution to ensure that the Chicago Police Department and the people of Chicago have continuous use of this lifesaving technology.
Since we first raised our concerns, a number of new developments have occurred that should prompt the mayor to reconsider his position.
First, in May, 34 members of the City Council — a veto-proof majority with many representing the South and West sides — voted against ending the ShotSpotter contract.
Second, the University of Chicago Crime Lab did the math and concluded that ShotSpotter is very likely saving about 85 lives per year — primarily because it is enabling first responders to more quickly provide lifesaving treatment to gun violence victims.
And finally, a new poll is out showing overwhelming public support for the technology. Notably, support for keeping ShotSpotter is highest among Black (78% in favor) and Latino (73%) voters who live in communities where gun violence is highest. Clearly, we are not alone in our view.
The police like gunshot detection technology for obvious reasons. ShotSpotter notifies police within 60 seconds after gunshots are detected. By comparison, the 911 system notifies police only if people actually make the call, which often doesn’t happen. The data shows that, in some police districts, as many as 3 out of 4 shootings never prompt anyone to call 911.
Given the level of gun violence in our city, it is unacceptable to us to simply eliminate a vital policing tool without an adequate replacement identified and a transition plan and timeline to get it implemented.
We strongly disagree with the mayor eliminating ShotSpotter without an alternative lifesaving technology in place. Still, we remain committed to a “one table” approach to a shared public safety strategy, which is showing early signs of progress.
The philanthropic and business communities together have raised $105 million and are more aligned than ever with the state, county and city in support of community violence intervention (CVI) programs that directly intervene with individuals at the highest risk of shooting someone or of being shot and convince them to put down their guns, leave street life behind, and build skills that lead to permanent jobs and productive economic outcomes for themselves and their families.
Today, CVI programs serve 37 of the city’s 77 neighborhoods and are now going to scale in a handful of communities thanks to an infusion of new public and private sector funds. We appreciate the mayor’s commitment to this effort and look forward to working with him to fulfill this commitment.
The business community also has a broader plan to hire from and invest in communities plagued by gun violence and is also raising money to support initiatives aimed at improving police effectiveness. No other city in America can match this level of coordinated civic commitment.
Meanwhile, the mayor’s selection of Larry Snelling as police superintendent has been a home run and has brought stability to a large organization that has undergone extraordinary change over the last eight years.
To the mayor’s credit, he has listened to the law enforcement community on prior occasions, which is evidenced by the city’s key investments in more detectives, more civilian positions, new helicopters and other forms of technology. So, given the fact that this technology saves lives, it is disappointing to us that he would override law enforcement on gunshot detection technology without a suitable alternative in hand and ready to be implemented.
We do understand that the mayor made a promise in the heat of a campaign to end ShotSpotter, and we respect his commitment to honor his promises. That said, political promises must be weighed against the facts and information that one obtains once in the job. Let’s be honest about the facts. ShotSpotter does not do what it initially promised it would, which is to solve and prevent crime. But it does save lives. As such, it should be maintained until a replacement technology is identified that has better utility.
We need every available tool in the tool belt to combat gun violence. We implore the mayor to reconsider his position and to work with the City Council to keep ShotSpotter in place until we can transition to an alternative. The public supports it. It helps police. And it is saving lives.
Derek Douglas is president of the Civic Committee and Commercial Club of Chicago. Robert Boik is senior vice president for public safety of the Civic Committee. He previously oversaw constitutional policing and reform at the Chicago Police Department.
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