National #StopShotSpotter

This week Inquest covered false promises: that the “new” drug war would be less punitive and more focused on public health (it is not), and that big tech policing product ShotSpotter makes communities safer (it does not). Read the full recap: mailchi.mp/inquest.org/gu…

@ralphaclark @_inquest_ @soundthinking_ How about Danny Ortiz? cbsnews.com/chicago/news/l…

@ralphaclark @_inquest_ @soundthinking_ How about Silvon Simmons? reuters.com/investigates/s…

“SoundThinking’s profitability requires continued gun violence. If ShotSpotter actually did what it claimed, it would put itself out of business.” —Ed Vogel on why big tech companies won’t ever deliver public safety inquest.org/turning-death-…

@ralphaclark @_inquest_ @soundthinking_ Thanks Ralph. What about Michael Williams? Do you care much about him? apnews.com/article/artifi…

@NatlStopSST @_inquest_ @soundthinking_ chicagodefender.com/opinion-whats-…

@ralphaclark @_inquest_ "Death, particularly Black death, is a commodity to @soundthinking_."

ShotSpotter’s primary function is to detect gunfire in real-time, enabling law enforcement to respond swiftly. This rapid response is crucial in providing immediate medical assistance to victims, securing crime scenes, and collecting vital evidence. For instance, in Oakland, California, ShotSpotter alerts led to the location of 179 gunshot victims between 2020 and 2023, facilitating timely medical interventions.

ShotSpotter is a case study in how the prison–industrial complex has evolved in response to the advent of the data economy: more policing & surveillance, justified by false promises of how tech will usher in a new era of public safety. inquest.org/turning-death-…

@ralphaclark Can you share the study that you citing for your claim about "80-90% of criminal gunfire goes unreported via traditional 911"?

FWIW - 80-90% of criminal gunfire goes unreported via traditional 911. 🤔 ShotSpotter acoustic gunshot detection fixes that shortcoming. ✅

@ralphaclark Where's the study that you didn't pay for proving that? Even if it was 100% accurate, it still wouldn't prevent or stop gun violence. You're scamming communities impacted by gun violence out of millions of public funds annually.

ShotSpotter is accurate. 🎯

@saveshotspotter Wait, I thought you said we needed ShotSpotter to end gun violence? "Peacekeeper community areas saw a 31% decrease in shooting victimizations from 2023 to 2024 compared to the previous two-year period" thetriibe.com/2025/04/pritzk…

They don't care that ShotSpotter is a tool of violence as long as it builds their wealth: "Smaller agencies, often overlooked by bigger players, could flock to SoundThinking if federal dollars trickle down via block grants or anti-crime initiatives." forbes.com/sites/jaimecat…

Not inspiring: "Almost two-thirds of the ShotSpotter alerts in 2025 have been confirmed to be gunshot-related, according to Robert P. Reardon Jr., a CPD spokesperson." via @matanjosephy & @laurelmshugart thecrimson.com/article/2025/2…

@ralphaclark @LAPublicPress Or anything to say to @joeyneverjoe?

@ralphaclark Good one, Ralph. You're so clever. Do you have anything of substance to say about the article to @LAPublicPress?

Police want ShotSpotter because it increases their power, not because it "works." This report from Pasadena shows how police enable SoundThinking to lie about the effectiveness of ShotSpotter, keeping contracts in place and encouraging more to be signed. lapublicpress.org/2025/02/pasade…

2) Another requirement is that location detection must be “exact” & “ within 25 feet” - ShotSpotter claims 82 ft / 25 meters accuracy, so it’d fail to meet this unless it alters its location accuracy claims or the City relaxes this requirement.

3) The RFP states the system must be able to cover all 235 sq mi of Chicago, though initial coverage would be no more than 80 sq mi. This may not be a commitment to cover the entire city but does indicate a contemplation of doing so.

ShotSpotter has previously stated they can’t cover downtown bc of all the factors that’d impede accurate detection + locating, so they wouldn’t be able to meet this requirement either unless they change their long-held stance on that.

To paraphrase a campaign member, the City is trying to find the magic tech that’s being promised by surveillance vendors, but it doesn’t exist. If the City sticks to its requirements and tests respondents vigorously, they should end up not awarding a contract.