‘Time is tissue.’ ShotSpotter CEO makes case for gunshot surveillance program
A community meeting on ShotSpotter drew about 70 people Monday night, with many seeking details and reassurance about the gunshot detection program the city of Durham will try out for the next year.
ShotSpotter President and CEO Ralph Clark took questions during the two-hour meeting moderated by Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton at St. Joseph’s AME Church in the historic Hayti neighborhood just south off downtown.
“This will probably be the most scrutinized pilot we’ve got going on,” said Middleton, who has been asking the the city to try the surveillance technology for several years. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensors to detect likely gunfire. Cities typically place 20 to 25 sensors per square mile, said Clark, and the system notifies law enforcement within 30 to 45 seconds of a possible shot being fired.
The technology has been used by more than 120 cities since 1996. It covers most of Washington, D.C., and 70 blocks in New York City.
In some cities, it’s controversial.
Privacy advocates in Chicago including the American Civil Liberties Union say disproportionate sensor placement in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods leads to over-policing and the potential for unconstitutional stop-and-frisk searches.
The Durham Police Department will oversee the one-year pilot, which is being funded with $197,500 in the city budget.
ShotSpotter is in a handful of North Carolina cities, Clark said, including Wake Forest and Winston-Salem. After adopting ShotSpotter in 2018, Greenville saw a 29% decrease in gun violence and a 20% reduction in homicides the following year.
Meanwhile, Charlotte police stopped using ShotSpotter in 2016, citing a poor return on its investment — though Clark said he hopes to restart the program.
‘Time is tissue’
At the meeting, Clark cited a 2016 study using ShotSpotter data that found about 80% of gunfire incidents are never reported to 911.
Middleton said he worries residents who live in high-crime neighborhoods, including Hayti, get desensitized to frequent gunfire.
“Tonight, children in this city, when it’s not bath time, will be jumping in bathtubs because gunfire is normal,” he said.
Clark said even if shooters quickly flee, fast ShotSpotter response times are crucial for collecting forensic evidence and treating serious wounds.
“Time is tissue,” Clark said.
This argument touched residents who said they grieve fatal shootings, particularly of Black youth, in their neighborhoods.
Homicides in Durham rose 35% between 2020 and 2021, according to the city budget, the biggest increase since 1995.
All told, there were 795 incidents in which shots were fired in 2021, with 280 people shot, The News & Observer previously reported. That was down from 966 shooting incidents and 318 people shot the year before.
Retired Durham police officer Greg Grayson said he expects low officer morale to delay response to crisis calls — from ShotSpotter or otherwise — until department demographics more closely reflect the communities officers work in.
“There are too many young lives, specifically Black males and females, dying in the streets of Durham,” said Grayson. “You can have all this technology, but it’s not going to work until you have people who get on board together.”
Privacy concerns
Middleton repeatedly expressed concern that some residents “exoticize” ShotSpotter, rejecting it for reasons unrelated to the technology.
Responding to concerns that ShotSpotter could be used to justify forced entry, Middleton asked if a 911 phone call would be any better.
He acknowledged some residents might oppose ShotSpotter in the name of minimizing police contact.
Because it doesn’t use cameras, however, he said he hopes ShotSpotter helps deter racially motivated 911 calls.
“The ShotSpotter sensors cannot tell if you’re wearing a hoodie,” Middleton said. “It can’t tell whether you’re Black or white, or whether you’re carrying Skittles and an iced tea.”
Clark expressed concerns that low response rates to gunfire can make residents feel neglected by local police. Paul John, community engagement director for ShotSpotter, said he hopes that additional meetings between officers and residents as the technology is rolled out will create more trust.
At the meeting, residents said building trust would require police to spend more time in their neighborhoods while off duty. Some called on officers to volunteer with local schools and churches.
“If they get more involved in the community, the community will be more likely to call them when they need help,”said resident Nia Shields..
Durham’s needs
The Rev. Phyllis Arrington said the technology would feel less nebulous if residents had been able to see a demonstration before the city budget passed.
“I hope in the future … to hear from our sheriff, and from Police Chief Andrews,” she said, “since they’re out there in the field.”
Durham city leaders have been debating ShotSpotter since 2015, It was not approved until this spring’s budget vote.
Clark said he’s not surprised. Several cities, he said, have abandoned their hesitation in recent months.
“The demands on policing are increasing,” Clark told The News & Observer. “Gun violence in particular, crime in general, is on the uptick. Police forces are shrinking. The only way to solve the gap is through technology.”
What’s next
Starting July 1, city administrators will work with Durham Police chief Patrice Andrews to implement sensor sites based on crime and shooting data.
The city plans to hold additional community meetings.
This story was originally published June 28, 2022 at 12:38 PM.
