Detroit City Council delays vote on ShotSpotter a third time

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Detroit City Council has delayed a vote on expanding gunshot-detecting technology again. 

The city council had already delayed votes on whether to allocate millions of dollars to broadening the reach of ShotSpotter two times this year. A spokesman for the city of Detroit said Tuesday morning the vote was delayed again.

It wasn't immediately clear if a vote on ShotSpotter had been rescheduled.

Last week, Detroit City Council approved a $1.5 million contract for ShotSpotter, which is already deployed in the 8th and 9th precinct in the city - on the east side and on the west side. A vote to allocate $7 million more in funding for ShotSpotter is scheduled for Oct. 4.

If approved, the gunshot-detecting technology would be increased to nine more neighborhoods. 

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City council meetings where ShotSpotter was discussed have drawn large crowds to the Tuesday meetings, with community members falling on both sides of the debate. Some don't believe it's the best way to spend the money, which comes from a Covid relief package that came from the federal government. 

Others argue the technology could replace the 911 calls that fail to come in after gunshots happen.

Detroit police have continually pushed for ShotSpotter, with the chief saying it would add to the department's techniques it can use to fight crime.

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"We need every tool that we can have at our disposal to save lives," said Chief James White during a previous meeting.

The council voted a 6 to 3 in favor of extending the existing program. City Council President Mary Sheffield said she’d support an expansion if the funding money can come from somewhere else in the budget.