Members of the Chicago City Council and community leaders are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to reactivate the city’s ShotSpotter gunshot detection system.
“We are here today because people are dying in neighborhoods that were once served by ShotSpotter,” Ald. Moore explained.
Moore said this is a public safety and survival issue.
“Last week, 19-year-old Sierra Evans laid in the alley for nine and half hours before someone called 911,” he explained.
Evans died from her injuries.
Leaders said Tuesday that she may have survived if ShotSpotter was working and could alert first responders immediately. As part of an enhanced push to reinstate the program, the lawmakers and community activists raised $2.5 million, eating into the annual cost of $9.6 million.
“Thanks to our business community, we have secured $2.5 million to assist us,” Ald. Stephanie Coleman shared.
Local
Johnson has argued that ShotSpotter is not worth that kind of money and tasked his administration with researching alternative options.
Deputy Mayor of Community Safety, Garien Gatewood spoke on the NBC 5 Morning Show Tuesday about those options.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
“As you know, we issued an RFI (request for information) a few weeks ago. That closes on November 1,” Gatewood explained. “We are excited about the results, and we are excited about the results that we’re seeing from CPD and all of our agencies coming together and working hand in hand with communities.”
Until something new is implemented, some leaders believe ShotSpotter needs to be reactivated to save lives.
“Until we have something better, let’s put something in place that can save lives,” said Father Michael Pfleger, a longtime community activist.
