The city of Chicago stopped using a gunshot detection technology service called “ShotSpotter” this year. When Johnson was asked this week what would happen, he suggested there might be some emergency situations that could elicit a “non-police” response.
This concept has disaster written all over it. Johnson singled out mental health emergencies as an example, but any law enforcement official will tell you that these situations are dangerous because you never know what you're getting into. Is the person armed? High on drugs or drunk?
All this will do is make the city less safe for people. This is exactly the wrong thing to do.
The Associated Press reported:
Chicago's contract with SoundThinking, a public safety technology company that says its ShotSpotter tool is used in about 150 cities, expires on Friday. The city plans to end use of ShotSpotter technology by late September, according to city officials. Since 2018, the city has spent $49 million on ShotSpotter.
“Chicago will use its resources on the most effective strategies and tactics proven to accelerate the current downward trend in violent crime,” the city said in a statement. “Doing this work, in consultation with community, violence prevention organizations and law enforcement, provides a path to a better, stronger and safer Chicago for everyone.”
During the interim period, law enforcement and community safety groups will “evaluate tools and programs that effectively increase safety and trust” and issue recommendations, Johnson's office said.
More from Twitch:
Chicago ousted former Mayor Lori Lightfoot because things weren't going well in the Windy City. They elected a man who is very open about his love of communism, Brandon Johnson. Things are going worse than before, and this is reflected in his poll numbers…
Now it gets worse: he wants a “non-police response” to emergencies. Sending social workers to a crime scene never ends well for anyone.
Watch the video below:
They are: After Chicago eliminated its gunshot detection system, Mayor Johnson says the answer is “non-police emergency response.” pic.twitter.com/8U8ae5Myhc
– Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 16, 2024
It's amazing how Chicagoans put up with this.
