City leaders meeting to discuss ShotSpotter contract, set to expire on Sept. 22

Our Take

Credit to WGN News for getting cameras into the room as Chicago aldermen hash out the future of ShotSpotter, the acoustic gunshot-detection system that's been dogged by accuracy complaints and lawsuits for years. This fight matters beyond Chicago because it's a preview of what happens when a city actually has to weigh a surveillance vendor's promises against its track record — something most municipalities never bother to do before signing on the dotted line.

ShotSpotter and ALPR networks like Flock aren't the same technology, but they're cut from the same cloth: opaque algorithms, vendor-controlled data, and a sales pitch that treats public skepticism as an obstacle to manage rather than a signal to heed. Cities that keep ShotSpotter often keep expanding license plate readers too, because once you've normalized always-on monitoring for "public safety," it's hard to say no to the next system.

If you're wondering whether your own city is quietly stacking up these tools, check our camera map to see what's already watching your streets, and head to take-action if you want to push back before your city council has its own Sept. 22 deadline.