Chicago voters overwhelmingly support gunshot detection technology

A question on Tuesday’s ballot is breathing new life into the debate over the use of gunshot detection technology.

Following a decision by Mayor Brandon Johnson to end the use of ShotSpotter technology in the city, voters were asked an advisory referendum question in Tuesday's election over whether such technology should resume being used.

The question read:

“Should the City of Chicago restart the use of gunshot detection technology that informs first responders when gunshots are detected?”

According to unofficial election results from the Chicago Board of Elections, 72.5% of the more than 600,000 votes cast said yes to the non-binding advisory referendum.

“I don’t think it will make a difference, but it should make a difference,” said retiring 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea,who is often a City Council advocate for Chicago police officers. “Gunshot detection technology is a valuable tool for law enforcement. Any leader in the Chicago Police Department will tell you that.”

In the aftermath of the 2021 shooting of 15-year-old Adam Toldeo, by police responding to an incident of shots being fired, Mayor Brandon Johnson fulfilled a campaign promise to end the use of ShotSpotter in Chicago.

He called the system a “walkie-talkie on a stick,” while questioning its effectiveness in preventing gun crimes.

But some members of the Chicago City Council say the value of gunshot detection is not in stopping crime but helping officers respond to it.

“There have been almost 100 people who have been killed over a year where gunshot technology existed, but no one called police,” 36th Ward Ald. Gil Villegas said.

Since the cancellation, there has been a movement in City Council to bring back ShotSpotter or replace it with a different technology. Earlier this year, Ald. Raymond Lopez showed off a system from vendor Alarms.com that uses both sound and infrared sensors.

The company said the goal would be to have the SDS system go live in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood early this summer.

"We're passionate about this technology and what it can do, and we want to get the word out," said Vice President Matt Zartman.

Lopez said more than a dozen companies are interested in providing gunshot detection technology to the city of Chicago.

“A host of people who are willing to offer pilots, and if the mayor doesn’t want to do it, he likely won’t be mayor much longer,” Lopez said.

Right now, the administration is planning a six-month pilot involving gunshot-detection and other public-safety technologies in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th police districts, covering parts of the South and West sides.

“These pilots ensure that before we make long-term commitments, we understand what works, listen to the communities impacted, and make sure we’re getting results for Chicagoans, not simply enriching large corporations,” Johnson said in October.

NBC Chicago has reached out for a comment about the results of Tuesday’s advisory referendum, but has yet to receive a response.

Chicago voters overwhelmingly support gunshot detection technology

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