Exclusive Q&A: Ralph Clark on ShotSpotter Controversy and City Council Vote

Ralph Clark, CEO of SoundThinking, spoke exclusively to The Chicago Defender about the technology’s value and the implications of the council’s decision (Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons and soundthinking.com). Earlier this week, the City Council overwhelmingly voted to grant Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling the power to renew the city’s ShotSpotter contract. This move defied Mayor Brandon Johnson’s wish to terminate the controversial gun detection technology.& Not long after that vote, Johnson vowed to veto the measure that passed 33-14, calling it illegal because, in the words of Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, the ordinance is “in violation of the separation of powers act.” Richardson-Lowry explained, “The legislative branch cannot compel the executive branch to act.” The progressive mayor campaigned on ending the city’s contract with ShotSpotter on the basis that it had little effect on prosecuting gun cases and disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities. It’s worth noting that in February, Johnson voted to extend the contract to cover the summer months and the Democratic National Convention, a period in the city where violence increases typically.& Make no mistake: Johnson is not a fan. Most recently, he referred to ShotSpotter as a “walkie-talkie on a pole.”& Just hours before the contract...