Chicago aldermen fighting gun violence deem ShotSpotter an 'invaluable tool' as council to consider bucking Mayor Johnson on the technology

The aldermen who want ShotSpotter to stay in their wards include Ald. Desmon Yancy, 5th; Ald. Greg Mitchell, 7th; Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th; Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th; Ald. Peter Chico, 10th; Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th; Ald. Stephanie Coleman, 16th; Ald. Ronnie Mosley, 21st, Ald. Monique Scott, 24th; Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th; and Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th.

That backing may not translate universally into support for Moore’s order, however. Several of the aldermen the Tribune spoke with who want to retain ShotSpotter said they are still considering how they will vote.

They view ShotSpotter as a necessity because many residents do not call police when they hear gunshots. Some speculated Chicagoans have grown reliant on ShotSpotter to alert police for them. Others said the lack of calls stems from a distrust in police or fears of retaliation for reporting crimes.

“I call 911, but 99% of the community doesn’t call,” Harris said. “While it is not the tool that’s going to keep you from getting shot, it is the tool that may save your life because the police are going to respond to that shot.”

The non-calls make ShotSpotter “an invaluable tool,” Mitchell said.

“I know firsthand: ShotSpotter alerted police, led them to situations that we would have found considerably later or might not at all,” he said. “For something that is beneficial to a lot of neighborhoods, I think a lot more conversations with us could have taken place.”

Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, said she is on the fence regarding ShotSpotter. It feels like a “wasted contract” to her, she said, but she thinks she should defer to the police.

She would like to hold out for clearer information on ShotSpotter from the company and city, she said. Moore’s order would mandate the Police Department to collect a variety of data to clarify how well the technology works at prompting otherwise unlikely police responses, evidence recoveries and arrests.

“There has to be a full conversation about what is best. And I don’t know that ShotSpotter is,” Taylor said. “But what I’m disappointed in is that we didn’t have the conversation.”

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