VIA EMAIL
June 10, 2024
Pasadena City Hall
100 North Garfield Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101
Pasadena City Council: Mayor Victor Gordo; Councilmember Tyron Hampton; Councilmember Justin Jones; Councilmember Jason Lyon; Councilmember Steve Madison; Councilmember Gene Masuda; Councilmember Jess Rivas; Councilmember Felicia Willams Cc: Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris; City Manager Miguel Marquez; City Clerk Mark Jomsky Re: Pasadena Shotspotter Pilot Conclusion
As the end of the 3-year pilot of gunshot detection system Shotspotter (AKA SoundThinking) in Pasadena looms, the future of this technology’s operation in the City is unclear. The lackluster performance of Shotspotter in Pasadena is in-step with other cities across the nation who are finding that this gunshot detection technology does not deliver on its promises, is unreliable, ineffective, resource intensive and a threat to civil liberties. Do we have to accept gun violence? No. However, we don’t have to accept technology that promises but fails to reduce gun violence either.
Pasadena Shotspotter Review
In October 2021, as a response to an uptick in gun violence, Pasadena turned to Shotspotter which claims its technology will prevent gun-violence, save lives, preserve evidence and apprehend suspects. Pasadena City Council approved a 3-year pilot program at a cost of $640,000 for three years covering a 3-square mile area in Northwest Pasadena. 1 After a belated 12-month review of Shotspotter in October 2023, no action was taken at that time; nor was there the promise of a future thorough review in collaboration with the Community Police Oversight Commission (which was newly formed at the time the City Council decided to approve the 3-year pilot) to either terminate or extend the use of the technology. Despite PPD’s glowing presentation, 2 actual analysis of the data showed that PPD responses to Shotspotter alerts led to dead ends 75% of the time and the Department had spent 285 hours responding to alerts. 3
3https://knock-la.com/data-shows-shotspotter-leads-to-dead-ends-and-wasted-resources-in-pasadena/ 2https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/six-months-later-police-say-shotspotter-a-worthwhile-tool 1https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/controversial-shotspotter-contract-approved 01/27/2025
Item 2
Shotspotter’sabilitytoprevent peoplefromgettingshot or dyinginPasadenaisquestionable. 4 It can’tevenbecountedontoclassifygunshots. Inat least adozenincidents, bombswereclassifiedasgunshots, andeventhenweren't abletoleadPPDtotheperpetrator - whowasfinallyapprehendedwhendetonatinganexplosivewithinthevicinityof policeofficers! 5 Worsestill, whenEricRobinsonwasshot andkilledinOctober 2002, Shotspotter pickeduptheaudiobut erroneouslyclassifiedthat it wasnot agunshot andthereforenopoliceor other emergencyservicesweredispatchedtothescene. 6 Howmuchtimewill it bebeforeanincident likethat inChicagohappenshere- where13year oldAdamToledowaschased, shot, andkilledbyaChicagopoliceofficer inresponsetoaShotSpotter alert? 7 Weshouldfindwildgoosechases(falsepositives)andtragedieslikeEricRobinsonuncompassionatelylabeledastechnology“errors” (or falsenegatives) unacceptable.
Moreover, theveryfewother citiesinLosAngelesCountytepidlywillingtotryShotspotter aredoingsobyco-optingthefact that Pasadenaisusingit. E.g. PicoRivera'sone-year pilot report stated“ShotSpotter isinuseinthecitiesof Pasadena, SanFrancisco, andOaklandandhasbeenapprovedbytheir respective, strict privacycommissions.” 8 Pasadenaabsolutelydoesnot haveaprivacyoversight body. AndOakland'sPrivacyCommissionhasjust recommendedtotheir CityCouncil thattheprogrambeterminated. Finally, noPasadenaoversight body- privacyor other - hasreviewedShotspotter.
CitiesAcrosstheCountryareAbandoningandRejectingShotspotterTheperformanceof Shotspotter inPasadenaisnot ananomaly, rather it isonpar withtheperformanceof Shotstpotter inother cities. Lackluster results, mountingevidenceandresearchdebunkingtheproclaimedmeritsof Shotspotter’stechnologyhaveledseveral citiesacrossthenationtodeclinetocontinueusingShotspotter. ● 2024: Chicago, IL;
9 Seattle, WA;
10 Mobile, AL;
11 Houston, TX
12 ● 2023: Portland, OR;
13 Durham, NC;
14 Indianapolis, IN
15 ● 2022: SanDiego, CA;
16 Atlanta, GA;
17 Greenbay, WI;
18 Buffalo, NY
19 19
https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/city-of-buffalo-adopts-amended-2023-budget-eliminates-proposed-shotspotter-funding 18 https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2022/09/21/green-bay-delays-vote-branding-initiative-oks-license-plate-cams/8071915001/ 17 https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/apd-shotspotter-technology/85-79f2851c-023e-45bc-b69e-8dcdedbe2814 16 https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-city-council-review-of-renewal-of-spotshotter-system-pulled-from-agenda/2670781/ 15 https://www.wishtv.com/news/indiana-news/indys-shotspotter-pilot-is-over-so-why-are-the-sensors-still-there/ 14 https://www.wral.com/story/durham-won-t-renew-shotspotter-contract-following-city-council-vote/21203098/ 13 https://www.opb.org/article/2023/06/01/portland-shotspotter-gunshot-detection-technology-police-firearms-crime/ 12 https://hoodline.com/2024/05/houston-to-deactivate-controversial-3-5-million-shotspotter-program-amid-scrutiny-over-effectiveness-and-racial-profiling-concerns/ 11 https://mynbc15.com/news/local/mobile-not-renewing-shot-spotter-contract 10 https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-mayor-bruce-harrell-shelves-plans-for-shotspotter-technology/ 9 https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/02/13/mayor-johnson-to-end-shotspotter-deal-after-summer 8 https://picoriveraspeaks.org/meetings/72
7 https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/adam-toledo-little-village-fatal-police-shooting-armed-confrontation/ 6 https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/man-found-in-street-shot-to-death-investigation-underway 5 https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/man-accused-of-setting-off-over-150-explosions-in-pasadena/ 4 https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/man-fatally-shot-in-pasadena ● 2021: Independence, MO;
20 LongBeach, CA
21 ● 2020: GrandRapids, MI;
22 Dayton, OH
23 ● 2012-2019: Canton, OH;
24 St. Paul, MN;
25 Fall River, MA;
26 Austin, TX;
27 SanAntonio, TX;
28 Wichita, KS;
29 Charlotte, NC;
30 Dallas, TX;
31 LosAngeles, CA;
32 NewOrleans, LA;
33 Beloit, WI
34 ● Currentlyunder reconsideration: Boston, MA;
35 Oakland, CA
36 ANational Instituteof Justicereport foundShotSpotter didnot reducetheoccurrenceof shots-firedcallsfor service, fatal shootings, non-fatal shootingsor other violent feloniescommittedwithfirearms.Theintroductionof ShotSpotter inpolicedistrictshadnoimpact ongun-violencecrimeclearancerates(theproportionof casessolvedbypolice). 37 ARedwoodCitysurveyof 27policeofficersontheof effectivenessof Shotspotter notedthat:
38 ●100%saidShotspotter will not increasethelikelihoodthat thevictimof ashootingwill survive.●92%saidShotSpotter will not increasethelikelihoodsomeonewill bearrested.●88%saidShotSpotter will not makethemmoreeffectivewhenhandlingshotsfiredincidents.
TheMacArthur JusticeFoundationfoundthat 89%of Shotspotter reportsledpolicetofindnogun-relatedcrime, and86%turnedupnocrimeat all. 39 TheChicagoInspector General foundthat about 90%of ShotSpotter alertswerefalsepositivesandhadresultedinthedispatchof police40,000timeswhennogun-relatedviolencehadtakenplace. 40 Amulti-institutionstudyof 68largemetropolitancountiesintheUSfound“ShotSpottertechnologyhasnosignificant impact onfirearm-relatedhomicidesor arrest outcomes.” 41 41
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33929640/
40 https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Chicago-Police-Departments-Use-of-ShotSpotter-Technology.pdf 39 https://www.macarthurjustice.org/blog2/shotspotter-is-a-failure-whats-next/ 38 https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/180112.pdf
37 https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/learning-about-shotspotter-and-gun-violence-chicago 36 https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/pac-recommends-ditching-shotspotter-grim-drill-down-on-budget-woes-at-finance-mtg-newsoms-flock-claim-repackages-old-questionable-info/ 35 https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/05/20/what-is-shotspotter-controversial-gunshot-detection-technology-facing-increasing-scrutiny/ 34 https://www.wpr.org/milwaukee-committed-shotspotter-outcomes-data-remain-elusive 33 https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/crime/new-orleans-city-council-police-shotspotter-technology-crime-reduction-shootings/289-966251f7-4097-4c61-bbba-f4c1138e81de 32 https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gunshot-detection-bill-20170312-story.html 31 https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2015/05/12/years-after-flirting-with-sensors-that-detect-gunshots-dallas-deems-technology-too-pricey/ 30 https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article59685506.html 29 https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Wichita-to-consider-Shot-Spotter-gunshot-detection-technology-465155373.html 28 https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/City-pulls-plug-on-pricey-gunshot-detection-system-11817475.php 27 https://www.kxan.com/news/how-technology-could-help-austin-police-prevent-shootings/ 26 https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/after-too-many-shots-missed-fall-river-mass-ends-deal-with-shotspotter.html 25 https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/11/20/gunshot-sensor-technology-likely-wont-be-part-of-st-pauls-crime-response 24 https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/canton-ohio-to-part-ways-with-shotspotter-expand-system.html 23 https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/dayton-not-renewing-contract-with-shotspotter-program/PYYGLLNVRJGUHEAF4OSJJ7K4NA/ 22 https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/grand-rapids-votes-no-on-cares-act-grant-for-grpd/69-a733c09b-e45f-4d47-9519-50e03cce551f 21 https://beachcomber.news/content/why-doesn%E2%80%99t-long-beach-have-gunfire-location-technology 20 https://www.themarshallproject.org/2022/10/13/how-a-suburb-spent-covid-relief-on-sniper-rifles-tactical-helmets-and-police-bonuses ReportingonPasadenaCitydatafoundShotpostter leadstodeadends75%of thetimeandwastedresources. 42 Shotspotter Under ScrutinyFor ThreatsToCivil RightsandMisuseof Taxpayer FundsInMay2024, Membersof USCongresscalledintoquestionnot onlytheeffectivenessandaccuracyofShotspotter, but expressedconcernsabout howtheuseof thetechnology- whichispredominantlydeployedinalreadymarginalizedcommunitiesof color - exacerbatesdiscrimination, over-policingandcivil rightsviolations. 43 Membersof USCongressareurgingtheDepartment of HomelandSecurityInspector General toinvestigate, asseveral citiesutilizedUrbanAreaSecurityInitiative(UASI) grantfundstoacquireShotspotter.
For thereasonsstatedabove, I respectfullyaskthat Pasadenanot extendShotspotter andinsteadlookintoevidence-basedsolutionsmovingforwardwithfuturepublicsafetyinvestmentsaddressinggunviolencethat donot infringeoncivil liberties.
Respectfully,
Yadi YounseMember, OaklandPrivacy4799ShattuckAvenueOakland, CA94609www.oaklandprivacy.org 43 https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/shotspotter_dhs_oig_letter_51424.pdf 42 https://knock-la.com/data-shows-shotspotter-leads-to-dead-ends-and-wasted-resources-in-pasadena/