New Report: Is Gunshot Detection Tech Like ShotSpotter Worth Keeping?

NEW YORK, NY – ShotSpotter, the leading product in the gunshot detection technology (GDT) market, is designed to monitor neighborhoods for loud percussive sounds likely to be gunshots and alert the police to the incidents and their locations. GDT faced increased public scrutiny following the NYPD’s February decision to renew its $21.8 million ShotSpotter contract. The decision surprised many who thought New York would follow in Chicago’s footsteps and terminate the contract. Those in favor of discontinuing the technology argue it is inaccurate, racially biased, and ineffective. 

In a new report, Manhattan Institute fellow Robert VerBruggen offers a novel analysis of these accusations. Overall, he concludes ShotSpotter is a useful technology that nonetheless poses important tradeoffs. It improves police investigations by getting police to shooting scenes quicker than 911 calls and leading them to evidence that would otherwise go unnoticed. That said, it also increases officers’ workloads by sending them to unproductive calls, and some departments fail to translate the investigative benefits into improved clearance and crime rates. 

“ShotSpotter isn’t a panacea and it isn’t a tool of racial surveillance—what it does is improve investigations at the margins, at the cost of some money and officer time,” said VerBruggen, the report’s author. “Whether it’s worth the expense depends on a department’s capacity to respond, process ballistic evidence, and fold alerts into a broader investigative strategy.” 

ShotSpotter and similar GDT systems could be a valuable tool in improving dense cities with gun-violence problems, provided there is sufficient funding, staffing, and infrastructure to support their use. 

Click here to read the full report.