New gunshot detection program in Chicago seeks city approval - WGN News at 9
The short version: WGN reports Chicago may revive gunshot-detection tech under a new vendor, reviving fears about opaque, unaccountable surveillance tools creeping back into city policy.
Our Take
It wasn't that long ago Chicago ditched ShotSpotter after years of scrutiny over its accuracy, cost, and role in sending armed officers into Black and Brown neighborhoods based on algorithmic guesses. Now, per WGN's reporting, a new gunshot detection program is angling for Mayor Brandon Johnson's sign-off. Same playbook, different vendor name — and the same questions about who audits these systems once they're live.
Gunshot detection microphones don't operate in a vacuum. They get bundled into the same surveillance ecosystem as license plate readers and camera networks, feeding data into shared police platforms with little public oversight of accuracy rates, false alerts, or how long recordings are kept. Chicago residents deserve to see the contract terms, audit results, and geographic deployment maps before city council rubber-stamps another black-box system — not after.
If you want to see how surveillance tech is already stacking up in your own neighborhood, check our camera map, and if you want to push back on unchecked expansion, our take-action page has tools to make your voice heard before the next contract gets signed.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WGN News, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.