Detroit officials look to extend 'Shotspotter' contract
Detroit's 'Shotspotter' contract up for renewal
The four-year contract expires Tuesday, and Detroit police are pushing for an extension. Police say ShotSpotter technology allows them to do their jobs better, collect more evidence, and respond to scenes faster. Detroit police have made it clear they often don't get 911 calls.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Extending the contract or letting it expire is the question before Detroit City Council regarding the gunshot detection technology called ‘ShotSpotter.’
Big picture view:
The four-year contract expires Tuesday, and Detroit police are pushing for an extension. Police say ShotSpotter technology allows them to do their jobs better, collect more evidence, and respond to scenes faster.
Detroit police have made it clear they often don't get 911 calls.
For example, it was ShotSpotter technology, not a 911 call, that led police to the scene where a man was fatally shot, and his 7-year-old cousin was clinging to life.
"Is it safe to say that without ShotSpotter technology, the kid may have died?" asked FOX 2's Ingrid Kelley.
"Oh, absolutely. I've responded to multiple gunshot wound victims where there was no 911 call," answered Detroit officer Klanke.
What's next:
The Detroit City Council will decide whether the ShotSpotter contract should be extended. The price tag for the extension is a couple of million dollars, and that has one member of the City Council speaking out.