City council members seek answers about delay in finding replacement for ShotSpotter

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gunshot detection technology, once again, is a hot topic before the Chicago City Council as a committee on Tuesday sought answers about where the city is in finding a replacement.

The system formerly known as ShotSpotter was shut down more than a year and a half ago.

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Members of the Public Safety Committee grilled the city's chief procurement officer on Tuesday about why it is taking so long for the city to hire a new company to provide technology to detect gunshots. They did not get the answers they were hoping for.

"Why is it taking so long? Lives are being endangered," said 10th Ward Ald. Peter Chico.

City council members pushed for answers about why the city's Department of Procurement Services is not moving faster in the vetting process of nine companies who have bid to install new gunshot detection technology to replace what Sound Thinking, formerly ShotSpotter, had been providing.

"A man was shot and killed in my ward on Thanksgiving night in Garfield Ridge neighborhood. His body laid in the street for 10 minutes because no one called 911," said 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares.

"This procurement is highly technical and complex in nature, and the Department of Procurement Services is working diligently to ensure all processes are followed and all applicable laws are followed," said Commissioner of Procurement Services Sharla Roberts.

The department declined to say who was on the vetting committee, where the process stands or when it might be finished.

"That's very frustrating. You know, this is a system that obviously the police department wants and needs, and several of my colleagues feel the same way. We want to see movement," said 3rd Ward Ald. Pat Dowell.

Some alderpersons had concerns about who would have access to any replacement technology.

"With the federal government, accessing different surveillance technology, it's important that we think about what it really looks like," said 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez.

After a playground ribbon cutting event, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he remains committed to some form of new technology.

"So, we want to make sure that we go through a thorough vetting process to ensure that whatever technology that we do use or settle on, that it maximizes the full impact of what we're doing to drive violence down in the city of Chicago," Johnson said.

"This was a total waste of time in my opinion," said 38th Ward Ald. Nick Sposato.

A number of alderpersons were frustrated, including the public safety committee chairman.

"They're not acting as though they want a new gunshot system in place. They're acting as if they really want to kick this can down the road as long as they can. So, we needed to call them out on it, and I think we accomplished that today, if nothing else," said Public Safety Committee Chair and 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins.

Hopkins hopes to get more information from key city stakeholders, including police. He did not adjourn the meeting, but instead recessed it until June 3, when the committee will once again push for answers and action.