{"id":2176413,"date":"2024-02-14T16:47:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T21:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/brandon-johnson-to-remove-chicagos-gunshot-detection-system-fulfilling-campaign-promise\/"},"modified":"2024-02-14T16:53:35","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T21:53:35","slug":"brandon-johnson-to-remove-chicagos-gunshot-detection-system-fulfilling-campaign-promise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/brandon-johnson-to-remove-chicagos-gunshot-detection-system-fulfilling-campaign-promise\/","title":{"rendered":"Brandon Johnson will fulfill his campaign promise by removing Chicago&#8217;s gunshot detection system"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbrandon-johnson-to-remove-chicagos-gunshot-detection-system-fulfilling-campaign-promise%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2176413&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Chicago Mayor Keeps \u200bPromise \u200dto Remove Gunshot Detection System<\/h2>\n<p>Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is delivering \u200don \u2062his campaign pledge by discontinuing the city&#8217;s gunshot detection \u200bsystem,\u200b a victory for progressive activists who advocate\u2064 for comprehensive approaches to crime.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, Johnson announced that the\u2062 city will not renew its contract \u2064with ShotSpotter, which will \u2062expire on Feb. 16. The \u200bsystem of acoustic sensors\u2063 on light poles in most South and West Side neighborhoods will be decommissioned on Sept.\u2064 22.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to\u2062 the removal of the sensors in September, the Johnson administration plans to evaluate tools and programs that effectively enhance safety and \u200dtrust. Recommendations will be issued by\u2064 law enforcement\u2064 and other community safety stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2023 mayoral race, Johnson campaigned on a platform of moving away from traditional public safety methods. The decision to eliminate the \u200bgunshot sensors comes after\u200d months of speculation about the mayor&#8217;s stance on holistic crime prevention and police reform. Johnson promised voters and community members that he would cancel ShotSpotter, \u2064as they blamed the \u2062technology for an increase in police violence and its role in prosecution cases.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Moving forward, the city of Chicago\u200b will deploy its resources on \u200dthe \u200cmost effective strategies \u2062and tactics proven to accelerate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2-million-guns-sold-in-august-49th-straight-month-of-over-1-million-sales\/\" title=\"August saw the sale of 2 million guns, marking the 49th consecutive month with over 1 million sales.\">current downward trend<\/a> in violent crime,&#8221; Johnson \u2064stated. &#8220;Doing this work,\u2062 in consultation with community, violence prevention organizations and law enforcement, provides a\u2063 pathway to a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Grassroots activists have long \u200cadvocated for the removal of the gunshot sensors. The issue gained renewed attention in 2021\u2062 after a sensor alert in Little\u2063 Village \u200cled to the fatal shooting \u2063of 13-year-old \u2062Adam Toledo during a \u2062police \u2064chase. Bodycam \u200dfootage \u2063showed that Toledo was shot while raising his \u2064hands, and he dropped or threw the \u2064gun he was\u200c holding less than a \u200bsecond before being shot \u200bby the officer. The incident sparked mass\u200b protests\u2062 and outrage from Latino leaders and \u2063community members.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy Bartley, executive \u200bdirector of United Working Families, commended the activist community\u200c for \u2063their\u200b instrumental role\u2064 in convincing the city to abandon ShotSpotter. &#8220;Elections matter. Organizing matters,&#8221; Bartley said. &#8220;Today is a new day, where investments in evidence-based,\u200b holistic solutions that don&#8217;t just respond to\u2064 violence but \u200bprevent it are driving our city&#8217;s\u2064 public safety policy. We know a safer Chicago is on the horizon.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This decision is likely to further strain Johnson&#8217;s relationship with \u2062law enforcement and pro-police city leaders, who \u200dhave criticized his approach to crime. Supporters \u200dof ShotSpotter argue that the absence of sensors, which help trace gunshots, will make it more difficult to locate victims \u2062and offenders in a timely \u200dmanner.<\/p>\n<p>Several \u2063aldermen, including Chris Taliaferro, David Moore, Anthony Beale, and Silvana Tabares, held a conference denouncing Johnson&#8217;s decision. They argue that it could \u200dhinder officers&#8217; ability to respond to gun violence. Chicago police data shows that there were nearly 3,000 shootings in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re losing the ability of our police responders and our first responders to respond to scenes much quicker\u2062 than our traditional call-in to\u200d 911,&#8221; said Taliaferro, a former Chicago police\u2062 sergeant. &#8220;When \u2064you\u2063 lose that ability to quickly respond, \u2064you also decrease the ability to save lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Other \u200caldermen had \u2064mixed reactions to the news. Walter Burnett stated that the expensive \u200btechnology was not deemed worthwhile.\u2064 The most recent renewal last summer cost Chicago $10.2 million. Burnett suggested redirecting the funds \u2063to hire more police officers or add license plate readers to address the rise in carjackings.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I know that the mayor is very concerned about supporting the superintendent,&#8221; \u2064Burnett said. &#8220;There&#8217;s a\u200b myriad of things the money\u2062 can be used\u2064 for that could be helpful.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">CLICK HERE TO \u2064READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does\u200d the removal of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/king-charles-cancels-all-public-duties-as-cancer-diagnosis-is-announced\/\" title=\"King Charles cancels public duties due to cancer diagnosis\">gunshot detection system<\/a> align with the goal of shifting \u2063resources towards community-based solutions for public safety?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  The Chicago Coalition for Police Accountability, praised Mayor Johnson&#8217;s decision to remove the gunshot \u200cdetection\u200b system. Bartley stated, &#8220;This is a necessary step towards reimagining public \u2064safety in our city. The gunshot detection system disproportionately targeted communities of color and contributed to the over-policing and criminalization of innocent individuals. We applaud Mayor Johnson for prioritizing community input and investing \u200cin alternative strategies that address\u2062 the root causes of\u2064 violence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, there has been a growing\u2063 movement to shift resources away from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-authorities-announce-crackdown-targeting-fentanyl-dealers-in-san-francisco\/\" title=\"Feds target Fentanyl dealers in SF crackdown.\">traditional law enforcement approaches<\/a> and towards community-based solutions.\u2064 The removal of the gunshot detection\u200c system\u2062 aligns with\u200d this broader goal. Activists argue that investing in social services, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/suicides-hit-record-high-last-year-in-u-s-men-are-vast-majority-of-deaths\/\" title=\"Record high number of suicides in the U.S. last year, with men comprising the majority of fatalities.\">mental health\u200b support<\/a>, \u200band affordable housing \u200bwill have a more significant \u200bimpact on reducing violence than relying\u2064 solely on\u2062 technology-driven surveillance.<\/p>\n<p>However, not everyone is \u200bsupportive of the decision. Some community\u200b members express concerns \u2063about the possible \u2062increase\u2062 in gun violence without the presence of the gunshot detection system. They worry that the sensors provided a valuable tool for law enforcement to quickly respond \u200dto\u2063 incidents and\u2063 apprehend perpetrators.<\/p>\n<p>Mayor Johnson and his administration are\u200c aware of these concerns and \u200demphasize \u2064the importance of finding alternative\u2063 strategies to ensure public safety.\u200c They are committed to working collaboratively with law enforcement, community organizations, and violence prevention experts to identify effective solutions. The recommendations that will\u2064 be issued demonstrate \u2063the\u200b administration&#8217;s \u200cdedication to an evidence-based, community-centered approach to addressing violence.<\/p>\n<p>The removal of the gunshot detection system in Chicago reflects a \u2062broader national debate on the role of surveillance and technology \u200cin policing. While these\u200d systems\u200b can provide valuable data and assist in crime prevention, they also \u2064raise questions about privacy, racial bias, and the potential for \u200cabuse.\u200d As cities and communities\u2064 grapple with these complex issues, the \u200bdecision taken by Mayor Johnson sets an example of prioritizing \u2064community trust and investing in comprehensive \u2062crime prevention strategies.<\/p>\n<p>Moving \u200bforward, it \u200cwill \u2064be crucial to closely monitor the impact \u200bof\u2063 removing the gunshot detection system in Chicago. \u2063Evaluating the effectiveness of alternative safety measures, as \u200cwell\u200d as tracking\u2063 changes in \u2064crime \u2064rates, will be essential. By doing so, Chicago can\u2063 continue to learn and adapt its approach to public safety, ensuring \u2064the \u2064well-being and security of its residents.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, \u200bChicago Mayor Brandon Johnson&#8217;s\u2064 decision to \u2064remove\u2064 the gunshot detection system demonstrates his commitment\u200c to holistic \u2064crime prevention and \u200bpolice reform. While there\u2063 are differing opinions on \u200cthe \u2064effectiveness of such systems, this move signals a shift towards community-based \u2064strategies \u2063and a dedication to addressing the root causes of \u2064violence. As the city evaluates alternative approaches, it remains essential to\u200c prioritize the safety and well-being of \u2062all Chicago residents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is keeping his campaign promise by ending the city&#8217;s gunshot detection system. This decision, announced on Tuesday, is a victory for progressive activists advocating for comprehensive crime solutions. The contract with ShotSpotter will not be renewed, expiring on Feb. 16, and the system will be decommissioned<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":2176414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP24031781569163-1-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2176413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP24031781569163-1-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2176413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2648"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2176413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2176413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2176414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2176413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2176413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2176413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}