“It was a foolish decision to abandon Shotspotter technology, especially considering the Mayor is only now putting out an RFI to replace the technology,” said Attorney John Heiderscheidt of Subscription Lawyer. “His criticisms of the technology seem duplicitous and contradictory: if the technology is inherently bad because of surveillance, there’s no need for a replacement technology. If a replacement technology is necessary, the contract with Shotspotter should not have ended without an alternative place. This wrong decision will cost innocent victims their lives. Period.”
Attorney Heiderscheidt continued on, “The Mayor’s comparison of Shotspotter to a wasteful, walkie-talkie on a stick was the latest demonstration that he is completely unfit for the office he holds. The decision has led to near universal criticism in Chicago’s political circles. If the technology was good enough to keep party elites safe during the DNC, it is certainly good enough for all communities of Chicago. Day in and day out, this Mayor demonstrates total indifference to the well-being of regular, working-class Chicagoans and their families. Change cannot come to Chicago fast enough.”
Data on Shotspotter can be found here: https://justicetechlab.org/shotspotter-data/
