Political Gumbo: Old Technology is the Problem

Pretty smooth meeting last night. I thought the resolution on reproductive rights would sail through.

Instead there was some serious discussion there.

Good.

On this issue, I come down on the side of Rivas and Madison. It’s a woman’s right to choose that is under attack and that’s what the resolution was designed to support.

Yes, symbolic, but respect for taking that stand.

Last night’s double take moment in my house came near the end of the meeting, when a caller took ShotSpotter to task.

According to the caller, the first two incidents, both reported by Pasadena Now on Monday, prove the technology does not work.

I think the words “shoddy equipment” were bandied about.

Seriously, after just two incidents?

In each incident police were able to get to the scene quickly. In one instance, police found no evidence of a shooting after arriving in 60 seconds.

In the second instance, police were on the scene again in 60 seconds but the victim was not cooperative.

According to the caller, the technology did not work because police did not catch a shooter in either incident and ShotSpotter did not act as a deterrent.

Police arrived at a crime scene in less than a minute after the shooting and gathered valuable evidence just two days ago.

It’s probably a little soon to say the “technology” won’t assist them in catching the shooter or shooters.

ShotSpotter is only one thing in the tool kit to aid police when there is a shooting. Yes, cameras and license plate readers are also in there.

And that’s what sets people off, technology.

Or should I say law enforcement technology.

Everybody is worried about Big Brother, well until the Apple Store announces the new Iphone is out and then the same people get up at 3 a.m. to get in line on Colorado Boulevard to buy that same technology that comes with a camera and a global positioning system.

Of course they pay for it with their debit card which also has a chip in it and begin sending texts over the airwaves.

People have no problem with the technology that fits in their pocket.

It’s the cameras on the lamp posts, in police cars or the sensors triangulating gunshots that many see as the boogeyman.

Look again.

Guns are old technology with the same purpose, and when they are in the wrong hands sometimes people die.

ShotSpotter won’t stop that, and of course the technology won’t fix the conditions that lead to shootings in the first place.

Still, in the end, ShotSpotter is not the issue.

The issue is shots fired.