Chicago to stop using controversial gunshot detection technology
The short version: Chicago's decision to ditch ShotSpotter shows that even entrenched surveillance contracts can be undone by public pressure and mixed evidence of effectiveness.
Our Take
Credit to Leading Winds News for covering Chicago's move to end its ShotSpotter contract, a system that blanketed entire neighborhoods — disproportionately Black and Latino ones — with acoustic sensors meant to detect gunfire. Years of reporting showed spotty accuracy, wasted police resources chasing false alerts, and at least one documented case where ShotSpotter data was allegedly manipulated to fit a prosecution narrative. Chicago pulling the plug isn't a fluke; it's a data point.
We cover license plate readers, not gunshot mics, but the through-line is the same: cities sign multi-year deals with surveillance vendors based on vendor-supplied stats, minimal independent audits, and vague promises about public safety. ShotSpotter and Flock Safety both sell subscription-based surveillance-as-a-service, both resist releasing raw performance data to outside researchers, and both have quietly become fixtures in municipal budgets that few elected officials ever revisit once installed. Chicago's reversal proves these contracts aren't permanent — they're only as durable as the public's attention span.
If your city has Flock cameras running unchecked, don't wait for an AP investigation to force a policy change. Check our camera map to see what's already deployed near you, and use our take-action guide to push your council for the same kind of scrutiny that finally caught up with ShotSpotter.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Leading Winds News, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.