Chicago alderman, ex-CPD Supt. Johnson push to preserve ‘ShotSpotter’ data

Sean Lewis
·2 min read
4

CHICAGO — A Chicago alderman and a former Chicago Police Department superintendent are trying to temporarily save the city’s controversial ShotSpotter program, in the name of preserving the system’s data.

Alderman David Moore (17th Ward) and ex-Supt. Eddie Johnson made their case at City Hall Tuesday. Moore, Johnson and their fellow supporters made the push hoping to preserve the final few months of data captured before ShotSpotter’s scheduled end this coming fall, that way, supporters of Shotspotter can use it to prove the system’s worth.

On Tuesday, several members of city council, who support the ShotSpotter technology, said they believe that data will show it’s usefulness.

“We’re standing together. It’s not a me thing,” Moore said. “It’s a community thing.”

Moore is the alderman leading the charge to preserve the technology, among his City Council constituents.

Their push came ahead of a City Council meeting set for Wednesday, where the chamber could vote on an order that calls for, among other things: More data collection and greater transparency throughout the life of the current ShotSpotter contract and notification about any decisions to remove ShotSpotter, or any other violence prevention funding, from any ward.

During his campaign for mayor, Brandon Johnson made the promise to do away with it, and in February, he did just that — Extending ShotSpotter’s contract only through September, past the Democratic National Convention, but also paying a premium for it in the process.

That premium? $8.6 million, 5% higher than for the entire year before.

Critics of the technology cite a 2021 inspector general’s report that found that of the more than 50,000 shotspotter alerts looked at, police  found gun-related offenses about 9% of the time.

Man critically injured in gas station robbery and shooting on South Side

Since its implementation in 2018, the city has paid out more than $36 million for ShotSpotter.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.