Community leaders urge Mayor Johnson to find replacement for ShotSpotter
Chicago Mayor Brendon Johnson faces pressure from community leaders, including Rev. Dr. Michael L. Pfleger, to replace the discontinued ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, despite his administration citing improved 9-1-1 response times and declining homicides after its removal. City council members plan to push the Johnson administration to address the delay in finding a replacement amid concerns that the lack of such technology leaves victims without timely emergency response in high-risk neighborhoods.
Chicago community leaders, including Rev. Dr. Michael L. Pfleger, are urging Mayor Brendon Johnson to expedite the search for a replacement for ShotSpotter, the city’s gunshot detection system, which Johnson discontinued two years ago after calling it ineffective and linked to over-policing in Black and Brown neighborhoods. The mayor’s office has pointed to data from the University of Chicago Justice Project, claiming 9-1-1 response times improved and homicides declined following ShotSpotter’s removal. However, critics argue the system remains a critical tool for rapid emergency response, especially in areas where victims or witnesses hesitate to call police. City council members plan to press the Johnson administration during an upcoming hearing, demanding action on the replacement. Lamarr Johnson, a community organizer, questioned why Chicago invests in traffic enforcement cameras but lacks technology to detect gunshots, which he called a ‘coincidence’ given the financial priorities. Father Pfleger emphasized that ShotSpotter fills gaps where people fail to dial 9-1-1, potentially saving lives by alerting authorities to shootings and injured individuals. The debate highlights tensions between public safety concerns and the mayor’s past policy decisions. The outcome of the hearing remains uncertain, but the push underscores growing frustration among activists and residents over the delayed response to addressing gun violence through technology.
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