North Chicago officials say ShotSpotter is making the city safer; ‘This shows the benefit of using technology and better equipment’

The Lake County News-Sun reported on the dramatic impact of ShotSpotter technology in reducing gunfire incidents and improving community relations in North Chicago since its installation in late 2020. Police officials praise the system’s ability to enable rapid response times, with officers often arriving over 10 minutes before dispatch, allowing them to administer faster medical care and secure critical evidence. Gunfire incidents have also dropped five-fold since deployment of the system “We show up almost immediately because we self-dispatch,” explained Police Chief Lazaro Perez. “Every time there’s gunfire, a cop shows up. People are seeing more of the police in their neighborhood. Now, they’re more apt to cooperate and let us know what’s going on.”