Cambridge Ends ShotSpotter Contract in 5-2 Vote, Ordering Removal Within 90 Days
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 20
Cambridge Ends ShotSpotter Contract in 5-2 Vote, Ordering Removal Within 90 Days
6 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 20
Five Cambridge councilors voted to terminate the city’s ShotSpotter contract, with two opposed and two present, requiring police to stop using the gunshot-detection system and remove devices within 90 days.
Critics drove the decision by arguing the technology is unreliable, can mistake other loud noises for gunfire, and contributes to over-policing and privacy risks tied to alleged links with federal immigration enforcement.
City Manager Yi-An Huang, acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells and SoundThinking urged Cambridge to keep the system, saying alerts reach police within 60 seconds and citing 11 gunfire incidents that drew no 911 calls.
Cambridge’s move adds to a broader backlash against ShotSpotter after Chicago said in February 2024 it would not renew its own contract, increasing pressure on the technology’s use in U.S. cities.
With ShotSpotter gone, how will cities like Cambridge and Chicago tackle gun violence without this surveillance tool?
As cities unplug gunshot detectors, are AI-powered cameras the inevitable next step for policing public spaces?
After a decade of data, why is there no conclusive proof that gunshot detection technology actually reduces crime?