Dayton considers extension for gunshot-detection system
TheDayton City Commission today will consider a contract extension for a controversial gunshot-detection system used in northwest Dayton.
The Dayton Police Departmentlaunchedthe ShotSpotter acoustic sensor system late last year in a three-mile area near NorthMain Street and Salem Avenue.
Police say the technology quickly alerts them to gunfire, which can help officers identify crime scenes, forensic evidence and shooting victims.
Police say gunfire often goes unreported, which means there are missed opportunities to apprehend people who illegally fireweapons in the city and recover firearms that could be used in other crimes.
But critics have said the ShotSpotter systemcontributes to over-policing and is a form of surveillance that community members have not asked for and do not want.
The system detects gunshots and then notifies police dispatchers of a rough location of where the sounds originated.
Some critics say the alert system dispatches officers into local neighborhoods without any other contextual information, like a description of potential suspects. They also say they worry about false positive and officers encountering innocent citizens while looking for people they believe are armed and dangerous.
Dayton’s elected leaders will decide whether to approveatwo-yearextension agreement with ShotSpotter, a California-based company.
The agreement calls for paying thecompany anadditional $390,000 for its technology and services through the end of 2022.
The city approved a $205,000 contract with ShotSpotter in July 2019. The city says its system uses 15 to 25 sensors per mile in northwest Dayton.