Mayor Brandon Johnson to end city contract with ShotSpotter

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office has announced the City of Chicago will not renew its contract with controversial tech company ShotSpotter, makers of the eponymous gunfire detection system. 

 The decision reflects Johnson's promise to do away with gunfire detection technology in favor of holistic community-based crime-fighting measures.

According to a statement from the city, Chicago’s contract with ShotSpotter will expire on Friday, February 16. The city will officially decommission the technology on September 22.

The technology will remain available to law enforcement in the interim period, notably during the summer months when crime typically rises. The city’s statement notes that law enforcement will work to create new crime-deterring strategies before the ShotSpotter decommissioning. 

“Chicago Police Department will work to revamp operations within the Strategic Decision Support Centers, implement new training, and further develop response models to gun violence that ultimately reduce shootings and increase accountability”, reads the statement.

The decommissioning of ShotSpotter systems is a win for advocates of community crime-fighting methods. The technology has been a source of controversy in recent years due to questions surrounding its effectiveness and its use by law enforcement.