Thread by @NexusOfPrivacy

The Seattle Community Police Commission is discussing ShotSpotter at this morning's meeting. Public comment has just wrapped up. Now, @jennifer_e_lee from @ACLU_WA is presenting. #StopShotSpotter

@jennifer_e_lee @ACLU_WA Oops, connection problems. Up next, Angélica Chazaro with quotes from the October 27 Rainier Beach town hall.

"ShotSpotter is giving them a license to hunt bodies. It's a waste of money. It's about control."

"I think more money can go into housing. Also, being put back into communities."

"We want to do things in partnership and this tech is opposite to that."

Several of the public commenters suggested that ShotSpotter could help with convictions. Chazaro talked with Chicago Public Defenders, who said that these expensive systems *do not* result in evidence that can be used at trial.

Chicago prosecutors succeeded in using ShotSpotter evidence in 0 of 25 trials.

Chazaro also notes that ShotSpotter has avoided basic transparency.

In Chicago, when defenders file admissibility challenges to ShotSpotter data ... prosecutors have dropped the cases or agreed not to use ShotSpotter data.

ShotSpotter data rarely gets used for felony convictions.

And now @jennifer_e_lee, going over how acoustic gunshot detection works: sensors and mics send reports of loud noises to analysts, who determine whether they're gunshot, firecrackers, or other loud sounds

ACLU is concerned about ShotSpotter: inaccurate and effective, fuels police violence, poses significant privacy and surveillance risks, and the budget proposal violates the Seattle Surveillance Ordinance. #StopShotSpotter

Lee goes into detail on studies showing ineffectiveness for crime reduction. ShotSpotter's marketing info claims it's great, but independent research has consistently shown that it doesn't have benefits.

ShotSpotter's false alarms send police into Black, Brown, and poor neighborhoods, further increasing the risk of harm.

Lee goes over ShotSpotter's admission in 2016 that they changed data at police departments' request.

Lee discusses Michael Williams, falsely arrested and jailed for over a year, after ShotSpotter changed the location of a report. chicago.suntimes.com/news/2022/7/21…

In Massachusetts, prosecutors have attempted to introduce audio voice recordings from ShotSpotter's mics. That's a big surveillance and civil liberties issue.

Finally, Seattle Surveillance Ordinance requires a process with public comment and City Council approval *before* proceeding with an acquisition process. That hasn't happened with ShotSpotter.

Here's Lee's summary.

[Sorry for the lack of alt text; it's basically repeating the points of the last half-dozen tweets.]

Up next, Victoria Beach from African American Advisory Council. Says that some of the stuff she's heard isn't true -- ShotSpotter doesn't record your voice. "If it saves one live, I'm for it."

They've spent millions on other approaches to reduce gun violence, nothing's worked. Why not try it? It doesn't have to be a permanent thing. There's false information being put out about it.

She's tired of hearing non-African Americans speak for her neighborhood. Asks people to do their own research instead of listening to what they've heard.

"I hear gunfire all the time in my neighborhood, I don't even call. I'm tired of it. If ShotSpotter can find out how many shots there are, and where they came from, I'm for it."

CPC chair @RevWalden, also a member of Mothers of Police Accountability, talks about how a whole generation has grown up with gun violence. Most Black people they surveyed are afraid to go out at night, and know somebody who's been assaulted.

She's sat with mothers who are crying and grieving. Where are the mothers from Chicago? We're hearing from everybody else, but not the mothers. We have to be willing to talk about both: police violence and community harm. People don't want us to heal our community.

"I'm in that club. It doesn't matter how you get in that club. I have a lifetime camaraderie with the mothers."

Up next, Dr. Gerard State from ShotSpotter. He's from Chicago, a ShotSpotter coverage area, background is violence prevention and school social worker.

"We have been pushing the use of ShotSpotter data beyond law enforcement."

Talks about asking social workers and mayors to use ShotSpotter data for other purposes. Says that Chicago OIG data only relates to operational use, not the actual reduction. "If you're only using ShotSpotter for police use, it will be hard to sustain violence reduction"

Children who are traumatized by gunshot fire need to be identified when they go to school. So ShotSpotter data can fuel other kinds of surveillance too! He personally is working with school counselors etc.

"Look at all the lives being saved by police responding to ShotSpotter alerts and finding bodies on the ground." When police officers respond to gunfire and they don't know where it's coming from, they have to search everywhere. So ShotSpotter limits their search.

In Chicago, the operational load is so high that even when they get calls they can't spend very long looking for them. So it's not actually true that it's inaccurate, it just doesn't result in finding anything.

A question about whether ShotSpotter would be interested in working with Seattle to look at outcomes in a way that would be transparent enough to appeal to all sides?

ShotSpotter: yes, absolutely! [Of course! Getting paid for PR material, what's not to like?]

Talks about programs in Springfield IL and Mobile AL that look at other uses of ShotSpotter data, looking forward to more discussions.

Also from ShotSpotter, Ron Teachman, former police chief, installed ShotSpotter in two cities, they've both renewed.

Argues that ShotSpotter reduces violence by allowing for community engagement. "How do you engage a community that's given up on police because police don't respond?" Over 80% of gunshots don't get called in -- resignation to the problem.

When people do call, there's a serious time lag - going through 911. ShotSpotter notifies in under 60 seconds, gets police to the scene to render immediate first aid which saves lives, collect forensic evidence. Gives opportunity for intervention you're not getting through 911

Very similar to automated fire detection systems. All but one customer renewed last year. About 1/3 of cities are expanding the footprint. "The people who use it know that it works, and that's why it has such a strong customer base."

A question from a commissioner who's seen all the data on the negative impact, asks for statistics on how it's been effective. In one city, 100 victims got first responder care after a ShotSpotter alert when there wasn't a corresponding 911 call.

Dr. Tate notes the importance of getting all the stakeholders at the table. Teachman highlights that it's not either-or, ShotSpotter data can help drive other deployments more effectively.

Wrapping up the conversation -- for now. "We will continue the conversation in future commission meetings." Thanks everybody for their participation. Indeed, well said all around!

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