Chicago Crime: What happens if city ends ShotSpotter contract? IL Answers Project takes a look

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago is still deciding whether to end a multi-million dollar contract with Shotspotter, which is set to expire February 2024.

The city has used the controversial service since 2018, to alert police to gunshots. However, a report from Chicago’s inspector general “does not support a conclusion that ShotSpotter is an effective tool in developing evidence of gun-related crime.” Among the IG’s findings, analyzed by Illinois Answers Project, only 9.1% of more than 50,000 ShotSpotter alerts turned up evidence of a gun-related criminal offense having occurred.

Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed during the mayoral campaign that he would cancel the contract with SoundThinking – the company behind ShotSpotter. If Johnson follows through on his promise, it will be the largest city to drop a contract with the company in its 26-year history.

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You can read more about the impact of this pending decision at illinoisanswers.org.