Houston Mayor John Whitmire says city’s ‘ShotSpotter’ gunshot detection tool is a ‘gimmick’

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston Mayor John Whitmire has called for the termination of “ShotSpotter,” a gunshot detection tool intended to help fight crime.

ShotSpotter, deployed in northwest and southeast Houston, uses technology to alert the Houston Police Department (HPD) to gunshots. However, Whitmire expressed doubts about its efficacy.

“It’s a gimmick,” Whitmire told on Thursday afternoon.

Data from Investigates reveals that ShotSpotter has had minimal impact. Only 5% of alerts from December 2020 through September 2022 resulted in arrests, out of nearly 4,400 alerts during that period. Furthermore, the Houston Chronicle reported that only 20% of alerts led to an offense report, which is about half the rate of traditional 911 reports.

HPD Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite noted another issue during a budget meeting earlier this week. ShotSpotter alerts are classified as Priority 1 calls, necessitating an immediate police response, sometimes over other serious incidents like burglaries.

This prioritization concerns Sunnyside resident Ardyth Guyer. “I think that’s horrible,” Guyer said. “Someone’s breaking into my house, but you’re looking at something that may not be anything?”

The program, first used in Houston in 2020, expanded under a $3.5 million contract signed in January 2022, which runs through January 2027. However, Whitmire indicated efforts are underway to terminate the contract and reallocate the funds to support an HPD cadet class.

There are also concerns that ShotSpotter may exacerbate strained police-community relations, particularly in communities of color. “I watched a car backfire all the way up the block that could set off ShotSpotter,” RoShawn Evans with Pure Justice said. “I would love to see Houston next on the list to end the ShotSpotter contract.”

Supporters of ShotSpotter argue it aids officers in locating gunshot victims and gathering evidence. “A lot of people don’t want to get involved, and I get that. They’re scared,” said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers earlier this year. “They don’t want to notify law enforcement, so at least technology gives them the opportunity to proactively act instead of reactively.”

Chicago recently announced they would not renew their ShotSpotter contract. Other cities, including Dayton, San Antonio, Charlotte, and New Orleans, have also ended their partnerships with ShotSpotter due to various concerns.

Attempts to reach the company behind ShotSpotter for comment were unsuccessful.