Chicago stops using controversial ShotSpotter gunshot detection system

Chicago has ended its contract with ShotSpotter, an AI-driven acoustic gunshot detection system, following a political standoff and longstanding criticism that it fuels over-policing and civil rights concerns in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods. Audits in Chicago and New York report low rates of confirmed shootings and arrests tied to the technology, while advocacy groups urge federal scrutiny over potential Civil Rights Act violations; the vendor cites incidents where alerts aided policing. The decision follows years of expanded deployment since 2017 and reporting that the system’s coverage disproportionately targets lower-income, majority-minority areas.