Little Rock City Board Cancels Controversial ShotSpotter Gunfire Detection Technology: What It Means for Community Safety

On Tuesday evening, the Little Rock Board of Directors voted against renewing a contract with SoundThinking Inc., the company behind the gunshot detection system known as ShotSpotter. This unexpected outcome means the Little Rock Police Department will not continue using this controversial technology.

The board needed six votes to pass the renewal but only managed five. Directors Virgil Miller, Joan Adcock, Lance Hines, B.J. Wyrick, and Dean Kumpuris supported the renewal, while Antwan Phillips, Kathy Webb, and Andrea Lewis voted against it. Notably, two directors were absent from the meeting.

Kathy Webb expressed her doubts about the technology. She stated, “I cannot support this continuation of this contract because I do not think the technology is there.” Andrea Lewis emphasized the need for community support over technology, suggesting more funding should go into resources for the community instead.

The vote follows a rise in gun violence in Little Rock, including significant incidents in local areas. Phillips voiced concerns about the tax implications of the contract, noting that Little Rock would have been using taxpayer money for ShotSpotter for the first time instead of relying on grants.

Little Rock has around dozens of ShotSpotter sensors deployed in a two-square-mile zone south of Interstate 630. These sensors detect loud noises and assess whether they are gunshots before alerting police. This process occurs in under a minute.

After the meeting, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. raised a critical point: ShotSpotter is meant for investigations, not as a preventive measure against crime. He remarked, “There’s no data that’s going to show you that having ShotSpotter will prevent crime.” While it can aid in apprehending suspects, it does not stop crime before it occurs.

ShotSpotter has faced criticism from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union for being costly and potentially biased. Since December 2018, when Little Rock first adopted this system, it had primarily been funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Justice and other sources.

Despite the disappointment over the contract failure, Mayor Scott assured that police would carry on using other available tools. He mentioned the real-time crime center, which helps in swiftly addressing public safety concerns after incidents.

While the future of the ShotSpotter system remains uncertain, Scott highlighted that the board’s decision against the contract renewal does not reflect a lack of commitment to public safety.

In a positive development, the board also approved $1 million for afterschool programs benefiting children in the community. This funding will support ten organizations that provide care and educational resources for youth when school is not in session.

Dana Dossett, the Little Rock director of community programs, mentioned that these initiatives are designed for children aged six to 12, with plans to expand to older youth in the future.