City Council to Consider Contract for Controversial Gunfire Detection Technology

The Pasadena City Council on Monday is expected to consider a $640,000, three-year contract for the Shotspotter system, technology that deploys microphones and sensors in certain neighborhoods to determine the location of gunshots and quickly alerts police. 

Police say the system, which records loud, impulsive sound and alerts police in 60 seconds or less about the location of the gunshot, would save lives, deter shootings, and prevent the need to investigate non-gunfire-related incidents, such as fireworks.

In correspondence to the council, the ACLU claimed the technology is harmful to overpoliced communities.

“We can expect the acquisition of this technology to harm the most vulnerable populations in this city who have been overpoliced, oversurveilled, and undervalued in recent years,” the letter states.

The letter also mentions two studies conducted in Chicago and St. Louis that claim that the technology has not abated crime.

However, the technology has seen some success in other areas.

In April in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., police arrested Shawn Moses after he fired seven rounds and attempted to hide the gun he used in the bushes. According to CBS News, Moses was taken into custody while a second suspect, 44-year-old Bryant Holland, was spotted throwing two duffle bags on the roof of a home, officials said.

The bags contained more than 200 grams of cocaine and nearly 800 grams of cannabis, as well as a handgun, officials said.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered additional drugs and cash from inside the home, officials said.

Just days after being deployed in Detroit, the software led police to a home being used by a gang to assemble, test and sell ghost guns. Seventy-five bullet casings were found in the backyard where the guns were being tested. One of the gang members was wanted in a non-fatal stabbing.

According to a report to the council’s Public Safety Committee, which passed the matter last week, the Pasadena Police Department intends to deploy ShotSpotter sensors in areas its own analysis shows are “most impacted by gun-related crimes.”

The ACLU claims that reasoning will increase the police footprint in Black and brown communities in Pasadena and lead to further frisks, contacts, detentions, seizures, and arrests.

During the Public Safety Committee meeting, Councilmember John Kennedy, a committee member, asked staff to provide more data regarding the artificial intelligence-powered system. 

Kennedy cited reports and concerns about its efficacy and the possibility that it might result in over-policing in areas where gunfire detectors will be deployed, which he noted are areas of Northwest Pasadena.

Pasadena police Lt. Bill Grisafe said that after analyzing police data, ShotSpotter proposed to cover about a three-square-mile area of Pasadena that is most impacted by gun-related violence. There was no mention of the specific area being considered.

“In my view, that is not over-policing; it is a technology tool that allows police to respond, and hopefully it also aids in their investigation,” said City Manager Steve Mermell. He stressed his belief there is a need for the system amid the uptick in gun-related incidents in the city over the past two years.

“It would be located in a portion of our city where we have the most incidents of gun violence and the people that live in those areas of our community should not have to put up with gun violence, and so I feel that if this tool can help, it’s worth a try,” Mermell said.

Mermell assured those with questions that the city can terminate its contract with ShotSpotter Inc. early if the system comes up short of what the city expects.

The Pasadena Police Department has responded to more than 300 calls for service from people reporting hearing shots being fired, and an additional 400 incidents of gun-related crimes over the past two years.

During the same period, nearly 40 members of the Pasadena community have been either killed or injured as a result of gun violence. Close to 700 firearms have been seized by police officials.“

I would highly support the city’s interest in exploring and investing in this technology for our neighborhoods to remain safe,” wrote David Kalbeitzer.