Detroit City Council OKs $2M ShotSpotter extension while city searches for long-term gunshot detection system

While the Detroit City Council has approved another $2 million to keep ShotSpotter in place while the city searches for a long-term gunshot detection system, the debate over the move quickly became about more than technology. 

For hours, Detroiters stood before the City Council sharing personal stories about gun violence while urging members to either keep or end the city's contract.

"They're trying to breathe, but there are three things to say that save them: God, their will to live, and the smart technology program that has pinpoint accuracy called ShotSpotter. Please vote for this, y'all. We need it," said Pastor Maurice "Mo" Hardwick.

Supporters argued ShotSpotter gives police another tool to find shooting victims when no one calls 911, but others questioned whether another $2 million should go toward the technology or be invested in preventing gun violence before it happens.

"What we have in front of us, for me, is not solving the issues that we all have in front of us of preventing gun violence and preventing harm," Councilmember Denzel McCampbell said.

Detroit Police defended the extension, telling City Council the technology continues to help officers respond more quickly to shootings that otherwise may have gone unreported.

"The revitalization had not yet arrived there. There were no occupied houses and a lot of vacant land. Had we not had ShotSpotter, we would not have been there," said Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes.

The extension adds just over $2 million to the existing contract, keeping ShotSpotter in place through March while Detroit Police completes a competitive bidding process to evaluate other gunshot detection systems. However, not everyone believes that is the best use of the money.

"The question is not whether one life saved by ShotSpotter is worth $2 million. The question is whether $2 million should be allocated elsewhere, where it will save more lives," said resident Molly Manning.

In the end, the City Council approved the contract amendment over the objections of council members Gabriela Santiago-Romero and Denzel McCampbell. 

The extension gives Detroit Police nine months to test other technologies before returning to the City Council with a recommendation for a long-term gunshot detection system.