Little Rock City Board Embraces Controversial Policing Technology: What It Means for Residents

During a recent meeting of the Little Rock City Board of Directors, members discussed ShotSpotter, a technology that alerts police to gunshot sounds. This device has faced criticism nationwide for its high costs and tendency to register false alarms.

City leaders received updates showing that Little Rock’s ShotSpotter system has a lower false positive rate than expected. LRPD Sergeant Courtney Bewley praised its effectiveness and indicated that the board is interested in keeping the system operational.

“Proving prevention is tricky,” Bewley noted. “I can’t say if someone decided not to rob a store just because they saw a police officer having lunch there.”

Research, including a study by UA Little Rock, showed no significant change in homicide rates after ShotSpotter was introduced. Bewley acknowledged that while the technology doesn’t stop crime, it does help police respond more quickly to incidents.

She shared data from ShotSpotter indicating around 1,100 incidents from November 2023 to October 2024. However, only 12 times did someone call the police within one minute of a gunshot, and just 172 calls were made within three minutes.

“If you or a loved one were shot, three minutes would feel like forever,” Bewley remarked.

At-large City Director Antwan Phillips pointed out that some cities have terminated their ShotSpotter contracts, mentioning Chicago, which is facing lawsuits over issues related to this technology.

Bewley explained that ShotSpotter has occasionally helped officers reach crime scenes faster and clarified facts when eyewitness accounts differed. “It’s a tool within a larger investigation,” she stressed. “ShotSpotter data alone won’t lead to an arrest.”

She cited instances where loud noises triggered ShotSpotter alerts, allowing police to respond when victims were unable to call for help.

When Phillips inquired about false alarms, Bewley stated there have been fewer than ten.

Ward 1 Director Virgil Miller mentioned that while some constituents support ShotSpotter, many residents voiced concerns against it at a recent public meeting.

Little Rock has invested over $140,000 in ShotSpotter in recent years. The city board is set to vote next week on whether to extend its ShotSpotter contract for another year at a cost of $188,000.