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Mayor Ends Chicago’s Use of ShotSpotter

Aldermen overwhelmingly voted in favor of an ordinance that would allow them to keep the technology system last week. But Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed it.

Chicago officially ended its use of ShotSpotter gun shot detection technology Monday.

The city is now in a 60-day decommissioning phase of the ShotSpotter contract, and the company (now known as Sound Thinking) has begun taking down their equipment, ABC7 reports.

Sensors have been installed around the city for six years, especially in neighborhoods prone to shootings.

Aldermen overwhelmingly voted in favor of an ordinance that would allow them to keep the technology system last week. But Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed it, saying, "The ultimate goal is to deploy resources on the most effective strategies and tactics proven to accelerate the current downward trend in violent crime. We have to explore better options that save more lives."

The city is reportedly searching for another technology that can help police respond quickly to shots fired.

Mayor Johnson has announced the city is now looking into other avenues for different technology systems, with a "Request for Information" proposal form. The document spells out specific requirements for technology like, "have a method for investigating and screening out false positives and false negatives," "provide vetted confirmation within 60 seconds of incident" and "provide the ability to capture forensic information related to the incident."