The recent audit in New York City revealed that only 13 percent of the alerts generated by the ShotSpotter system could be confirmed as actual gunfire. This brings into question the reliability and effectiveness of such systems in accurately detecting gun-related incidents. The lack of accountability measures within the NYPD to publish data on ShotSpotter’s accuracy has raised concerns about the validity of the alerts being reported.
Champaign and Chicago have decided to cancel their contracts with Flock Safety and SoundThinking after questioning the accuracy of their gunshot detection systems. Despite claims from Flock Safety’s senior vice president that Raven is over 90 percent accurate at detecting gunshots, the doubts raised from the New York City audit and other studies suggest otherwise. The effectiveness of these systems in alerting officers to gun violence incidents remains in question.
Research studies conducted by Professor Eric Piza from Northeastern University have shed light on the response times of police to automated gunshot alerts compared to 911 calls. While police may respond faster to shooting incidents identified by these systems, there has been no significant reduction in gun-related crimes or an increase in solving gun crimes. This raises concerns about the overall impact of gunshot detection technology on addressing gun violence victimization in affected areas.
The New York City comptroller has recommended against renewing the current contract with SoundThinking, calling for a more thorough performance evaluation before making a decision. The NYPD’s response that non-renewal of ShotSpotter services may endanger the public highlights the challenges in balancing public safety with the effectiveness of gunshot detection systems. Similarly, the Digital Privacy Office in San Jose has recommended ongoing improvements to the Raven system to enhance its accuracy and usefulness in providing evidence for violent gun crimes.
While gunshot detection systems like ShotSpotter, Raven, and others may offer advantages in quicker police response times and supplemental evidence for criminal investigations, questions remain about their overall effectiveness in reducing gun violence and solving gun-related crimes. The need for greater transparency, accountability, and evaluation of these systems is essential to ensure their impact on public safety and law enforcement practices. Further research and analysis are necessary to uncover the truth behind gunshot detection technologies and their role in addressing the complex issue of gun violence in our communities.
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