City making changes to Chicago's gunshot detection pilot program

The city is changing its plan to test gunshot-detection technology, more than two years after it stopped using ShotSpotter.

The city originally planned to test one company's technology. Now the companies already on the city's short list for a contract will get a chance to test their systems.

That includes the company behind ShotSpotter.

The last day of budget hearings begins at 9:30 a.m.  

The original plan called for a test in six police districts on the South and West sides.

Gunshot detection was one part of it, in addition to drone and license plate readers.

At a budget hearing last month, police officials said they had few details about how the original test would roll out.

On Monday, the chief procurement officer, Sharla Roberts, said her office consulted police and the city's public safety administration about what the revised test would cover.

Alderman Anthony Beale asked the city to turn ShotSpotter back on by the end of the week while it works out the details.

Meanwhile, Alderman Brendan Reilly asked pressing questions about whether the city changed the plan before or after election night.

Roberts said she couldn't pin down the timing but said the question about restoring the technology on last week's ballot did play a role.

Right now, a start date is unclear, as is whether the revised test would cover the same six police districts.

Chicago voters back return of gunshot detection technology

Chicago voters sent a clear message to City Hall in Tuesday's election, overwhelmingly backing a referendum asking if the city should resume using gunshot detection technology.

More than 72% of voters supported a non-binding referendum on Tuesday's ballot, asking if Chicago should "restart use of gunshot detection technology that informs first responders when gunshots are detected."

The vote comes more than two years after Mayor Brandon Johnson ended the city's ShotSpotter contract and shut down the gunshot detection system.

While Tuesday's vote won't automatically bring back ShotSpotter or another similar gunshot detection system, it puts pressure on City Hall to decide what comes next as the Johnson administration continues to explore a replacement.