Capping a week full of ambiguity on the future of ShotSpotter technology in the city, the gunshot detection system will not be turned off at midnight as a last-minute extension has been reached with SoundThinking, the company that operates the service, city officials said late Friday.
The extension will keep ShotSpotter operating through Sept. 22, which will be followed by a two-month transition period, according to a news release from Mayor Brandon Johnson's office.
City Council members are currently negotiating for a time after the extension to "wind down" the use of ShotSpotter.
In an initial announcement, Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration said that the city would not renew their contract with SoundThinking, the company that operates ShotSpotter, though the devices would continue to be used until September.
A later statement from SoundThinking said they had attempted to negotiate an extension with the city, but no agreement was in place when Johnson announced that the devices would continue to be used until September.
As a result, the devices could have been deactivated at midnight Saturday morning when the city's contract with SoundThinking expires.
The controversial technology has invited criticism and praise since it was installed since 2012. Chicago Ald. Chris Taliaferro says the decision to remove ShotSpotter “is a great loss to the city,” echoing sentiments of some other officials.
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Ald. Anthony Beale criticized the administration for announcing the parameters of the decision before a contract before it was agreed upon.
"The city has lost all of its leverage when you make an announcement you're canceling ShotSpotter and extending it until September without having a signed contract," he said. "They can turn the switch off at midnight Friday night."
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15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez heralded ShotSpotter as "life-saving technology," saying that its quick alert times had helped save the lives of shooting victims.
"It's not meant as a deterrent, because no one ever said 'Oh, look. There's ShotSpotter, I'm not going to shoot.' But what it did do was allow us to respond and know that there was a shooting happening and send police accordingly," Lopez said.
Critics meanwhile are skeptical about the usefulness of the technology, warning that it actually can result in negative outcomes.
"ShotSpotter initially was saying it was for reducing violence. What we know is it's not effective at all for reducing violence," 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said.
Vasquez added that he believes officials need to have more dialogue on what public safety looks like and what exactly the city wanted out of ShotSpotter technology.
Johnson’s mayoral campaign included promises to get rid of the technology, saying it was unreliable and citing incidents like the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in 2021.
The complete statement released by Johnson's office late Friday is below:
"In an effort to avoid any interruption in the ShotSpotter service, the City of Chicago has signed an agreement with SoundThinking, Inc. for a contract extension through September 22, 2024, followed by a two-month transition period.
During the period until September 22, 2024, law enforcement and other community safety stakeholders will assess various tools, data and programs that build upon increased safety and trust, and issue recommendations to that effect. In advance of the September termination date, the 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.
Moving forward, the City of Chicago will deploy its resources on the most effective strategies and tactics proven to accelerate the current downward trend in violent crime. Doing this work, in consultation with law enforcement, community stakeholders, violence prevention organizations, and business and philanthropy partners, provides a pathway to a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all."
A spokesperson for SoundThinking released the following statement after the agreement was reached:
"In an effort to avoid any disruption in the critical ShotSpotter service to the citizens of Chicago, SoundThinking and the City of Chicago have reached an agreement for a contract extension that allows ShotSpotter services to continue through September 22, 2024, with an additional 2-month transition period to follow.S SoundThinking will continue to provide the Chicago Police Department and the citizens of Chicago with the highest-quality gunshot detection services that the city has relied upon for the last seven years.
SoundThinking will also continue to collaborate with the Chicago Police Department to develop the best possible metrics and analytics to drive transparency and optimize reporting."
