Chicago's City Council voted against Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson, 34-14, in hopes to bring back the use of ShotSpotter - technology that helps identify when and where gunshots were fired. It's a detection system that helps get police to locations faster in hopes to reduce crime or at least solve crimes when they happen.
However, some folks in Chicago wanted the gunshot detection technology scrapped because they said it was basically racist. Or, maybe they should realize that people firing guns are the problem and it doesn't matter what color their skin is. The goal was to reduce crime, so if gunshots are being disproportionately fired by one group of people, then how about telling them to stop shooting guns?
Either way, Chicago's City Council voted in hopes to overturn Mayor Johnson's decision to get rid of it and he was not very happy, as you can see in the video. WTTW had some more information about the tense vote and Johnson's attitude. At the end of the day, we have a people problem more than we have a gun problem. We have people who decide to use the guns in the wrong way. It's unclear how to get people to stop breaking the law, but perhaps being tougher on crime is the answer. Their political news report out of Chicago said the following:
Johnson was defiant after the meeting. “This particular measure that was voted on today did nothing,” Johnson said. “The City Council, the legislative body, does not have executive authority.” Johnson said the vote was a “testament to the level of fear ... of what it takes to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago.”
“This tool ... has been proven to be ineffective,” Johnson said.
The vote was the latest inflection point in the monthslong debate over whether ShotSpotter is an irreplaceable tool in the fight against gun violence on Chicago’s West and South sides or a waste of taxpayer funds that actually makes Black and Latino Chicagoans less safe.
Before the vote, an infuriated Ald. Monique Scott (24th Ward) blasted her colleagues who supported scrapping ShotSpotter’s contract with Chicago, worth approximately $10 million annually.
“I am so disappointed in so many of you,” Scott said to her colleagues. “I am disappointed. I had another mass shooting. I have to leave here and go to an operation for another mass shooting. This is the fourth mass shooting I've had since being an alderwoman. So I thank all of you. I thank everyone who voted ‘no.’ I thank you. This is something my community needs.”
