ShotSpotter gunfire detection technology helping safety? NBC Boston [Video]

When a gunshot goes off, police will tell you seconds matter, which is why for years, the gunshot warning technology called ShotSpotter has been so popular with police departments across the country. 

“To know where the incidents of gunshots are taking place and to be able to respond immediately, as quickly as possible, is very important to the city,” Mayor Michelle Wu said Wednesday. 

Now, a new report by the ACLU of Massachusetts is raising questions about the effectiveness of ShotSpotter. The ACLU said it analyzed 1,300 reports it obtained from Boston Police for so-called ShotSpotter activations between 2020 and 2022.

“In nearly 70% of cases, Boston Police officers found no evidence of gunfire in response to ShotSpotter alerts,” said Kade Crockford, director of the Technology for Liberty Program at the ACLU of Massachusetts. “The technology is unreliable, it is sending police looking for shooters in communities where there may …