These Massachusetts cities use ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology:
Boston
Brockton
Cambridge
Chelsea
Everett
Holyoke
Lawrence
Methuen
New Bedford
Pittsfield
Revere
Somerville
Springfield
Worcester
Chiefs of a majority of these police departments wrote a letter in 2024 to Massachusetts U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, about the importance of ShotSpotter. The letter was also sent to Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.
That letter read in part:
“As the top law enforcement officials in 11 Massachusetts communities – responsible for the safety of well over one million Massachusetts residents – we write to correct the misleading and false information about the ShotSpotter acoustic gunshot detection technology that has been amplified recently by the Massachusetts chapter of the ACLU. We are writing to you because your May 14, 2024, letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, unfortunately, included this information.”
“We believe you have been misinformed, and this formed the basis of your May 14 letter – a letter that draws misleading and, frankly, dangerous conclusions that compromise public safety. Let us be clear: ShotSpotter is effective, accurate, and welcomed in our communities, and has the proven capability to save lives and help us effectively respond to gun violence.”
“ShotSpotter helps our officers respond quickly to shooting incidents. Indeed, the system alerts us to gunfire in our coverage areas within 60 seconds, increasing our ability to save victims’ lives, collect evidence, and locate and arrest assailants. When every second matters, the immediacy of that information is crucial to responding patrols.”
