New York City finds ShotSpotter identifies 13 percent of confirmed shootings

An audit report revealed that gunshot detection system ShotSpotter accurately identified only 13 percent of confirmed shootings. 

The audit highlighted that 87 percent of the alerts generated by ShotSpotter were false alarms, often triggered by loud noises unrelated to gunfire, such as construction sounds or car backfires, raising concerns about the system's effectiveness and its tendency to waste police resources and time.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander criticised the system for its high rate of false positives and questioned its effectiveness in addressing gun violence in the city. He also concluded that the NYPD failed to make efficient use of its resources and officers’ time, and 'substantially' overstated the reduction in response times achieved by using the system.

Despite the findings, the NYPD defended the use of ShotSpotter, emphasising its role in providing real-time awareness of gunfire and aiding in rapid police response. The department argued that the technology is a critical tool in combating gun violence, even though the audit suggested a need for a thorough evaluation before renewing the contract with ShotSpotter.

The debate over ShotSpotter's effectiveness is part of a broader discussion on the use of such technologies in law enforcement, with some cities reconsidering their investment in the system due to concerns about cost, accuracy, and potential biases.