Detroit’s City Council has narrowly approved a $2 million contract extension for a controversial gunshot detection software, ShotSpotter. The nine-month agreement has sparked controversy over its cost and effectiveness.
Community Reaction
More than 100 people submitted public comment cards, with many speaking about ShotSpotter. Lakesha Brooks, the mother of a 7-year-old shooting victim, credited the technology for saving her son’s life. However, others, including members of the Detroit Community Action Committee and ACLU, argued that the data is ‘faulty’ and that the city shouldn’t direct millions more toward its use.
Detroit Police Department Assistant Chief Franklin Hayes said the department welcomes the feedback and sees it as an opportunity to get better and ensure best practices in any technology they deploy. The city spends $2 million for a nine-month extension, bringing overall contract costs to $9 million.
Contract Details
The contract with SoundThinking, formerly known as ShotSpotter, will keep the software in place through March 31, 2027. ShotSpotter is currently covering 50 square miles of the city in all areas apart from the third and seventh police precincts. The Detroit Police Department is in the process of going through proposals for future gunshot detection technologies now that the market is expanding.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
