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U.S.: Responding to the “gunshot detection” tool ShotSpotter, a Chicago police officer opened fire on an unarmed teenager (www.eff.org)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Three officers approached the boy’s house, with one asking “What you doing bro, you good?” They heard a loud bang, later determined to be fireworks, and shot at the child. Fortunately, no physical injuries were recorded. In initial reports, police falsely claimed that they fired at a “man” who had fired on officers.

In a subsequent assessment of the event, the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability (“COPA”) concluded that “a firearm was not used against the officers.” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling placed all attending officers on administrative duty for 30 days and is investigating whether the officers violated department policies.

ShotSpotter is the largest company which produces and distributes audio gunshot detection for U.S. cities and police departments. Currently, it is used by 100 law enforcement agencies.

Experts have long been warning of these tools' the inaccuracy.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (4 children)

Hot take, but I actually think this is a good tool. Triangulating gun fire is pretty useful.

I am once again asking for proper police training and discipline. Even if the kid was actually shooting a gun in his backyard, they never should have opened fire.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I hate this kind of surveillance.

But if it's used in supplement to an actual report or as part of an investigation of a crime identified or reported in another manner, I can see some use to it.

But as an initial reason to go look into a possible shooting, I disagree with it entirely. If it were used as a means to send potential medical aid to a location, it could be also be beneficial. But sending law enforcement is the wrong response, imo. We would need to rework our first responder system though and stop sending police to every fucking thing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

I absolutely agree that it's being used in a terrible way, I just think it's valuable to get a relatively precise location when deploying the first response - so I can accept the development of such a technology

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