Does ShotSpotter lead to more police encounters with civilians, causing disproportionate harm to black and brown communities?

There is no evidence to support this claim.

ShotSpotter provides intelligence that allows police to coordinate safe, efficient, and equitable responses that require fewer resources in a way that builds community trust.

When gunfire occurs, is it not preferable to ensure law enforcement and first responders know about it and can respond quickly to render aid to victims and secure the area?

When ShotSpotter alerts police to gunfire, officers are given more information and context about the incident than they would have without ShotSpotter. This information allows for a safer and more equitable response.

Lastly, ShotSpotter alerts allow police to respond to and investigate a gunfire incident in a more precise geographical area, compared to a 911 call (when they do occur) that often requires officers to patrol much more broadly for victims and evidence.

Without the intelligence from ShotSpotter, the unfortunate reality is that many gunshot-wound victims do not receive the immediate aid that could save their lives. But even more fundamentally, it means residents in these communities are victimized twice. They are first victimized by persistent exposure to gun violence, denying them their fundamental right to live without fear of harm. We have all heard the tragic stories of caregivers putting their kids to sleep in the bathtub for fear of gun violence. Pediatric research also shows the damaging effect on children and adolescents exposed to continual community gunfire that somehow has become “normalized.” This ongoing trauma is often accompanied by lifelong emotional, learning, and physical consequences.

Those same residents are then victimized again when first responders, unaware of gunfire events, fail to arrive. This lack of response further strains the already fissured relationship between police and the community, fueling perceptions that law enforcement simply does not care for the communities they, in theory, have sworn to serve and protect. Such benign neglect, though not malicious, causes tangible harm. ShotSpotter counters this by ensuring police are alerted and can respond accurately, thereby building trust and affirming a commitment to community safety.

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