Black Business Spotlight: ShotSpotter’s Gunfire Detection Tech Sparks Debate Over Equity and Over-Policing
ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system developed by Black-led tech company SoundThinking, is touted as a lifesaving tool for underserved communities—but civil rights advocates warn it may also fuel over-policing in Black neighborhoods.
Gunfire detection tech raises concerns of over-policing
As debates around public safety, surveillance, and community trust continue across the country, a growing number of cities, including Minneapolis, are turning to technology to address persistent gun violence. ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system developed by California-based SoundThinking, is currently deployed in more than 170 cities nationwide.
In an interview with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, SoundThinking CEO Ralph Clark defended the company’s role in combating gun violence, particularly in Black communities that continue to be disproportionately impacted by firearm-related deaths.
“ShotSpotter is an unbiased, agnostic system,” Clark said. “Unfortunately, historically underrepresented communities suffer most from gun violence. This technology ensures every gunshot gets a response, no matter the ZIP code.”
How the technology works
ShotSpotter relies on a network of acoustic sensors installed across designated neighborhoods. When the sensors detect what may be gunfire, the incident is verified by trained audio analysts before an alert is sent to law enforcement, typically within 60 seconds. That alert includes the precise location, time, number of rounds, and other situational details.
Clark noted that unlike traditional emergency calls, which rely on witnesses to report gunshots and estimate locations, ShotSpotter functions in real time and fills the gap in underreported incidents. “It’s a documented fact that less than 20% of gunfire is reported through 911 in some of our most vulnerable communities,” he said.
Equity in deployment
Black Americans make up just 14% of the U.S. population but account for 60% of firearm homicide victims, according to SoundThinking. The company positions its product as part of the solution to that disparity. Clark, a Black executive who grew up in East Oakland, said his own lived experience shapes how he views ShotSpotter’s role in transforming public safety institutions.
SoundThinking’s recently released 2024 ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) report further outlines the company’s stated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The report emphasizes transparency, community engagement, and the use of independent evaluations, including privacy reviews by the NYU Policing Project and oversight by local privacy commissions, as part of the company’s operational framework.
The ESG letter describes ShotSpotter as a tool intended to equalize public safety response in underserved communities. According to the report, SoundThinking engages regularly with residents, clergy, and trauma-response advocates to ensure the technology is grounded in community feedback, not just law enforcement strategy.
Balancing safety and surveillance
Still, critics say the tool may have unintended consequences. Civil rights organizations and community advocates have raised concerns about its accuracy and potential to contribute to over-policing in majority-Black neighborhoods. Studies in cities like Chicago have questioned the frequency with which ShotSpotter alerts lead to arrests or the recovery of firearms.
Clark acknowledges those concerns. “That fear is not necessarily invalid, and it’s exactly why we put strict guardrails in place,” he said. “ShotSpotter detects gunfire, not people. It initiates a response. What happens next depends on how law enforcement uses the information.”
He added that cities involving community voices early in the process tend to see better outcomes. “We support that,” he said. “Transparency sharpens us.”
Impact and the road ahead
SoundThinking points to a 2024 study by the University of Chicago Crime Lab that estimated that the technology could help save about 85 lives annually in Chicago by accelerating emergency response. “Time is tissue,” Clark said, referring to the crucial role of timing in trauma care.
When asked how ShotSpotter fits into long-term violence prevention strategies, Clark cautioned against false choices between technology and community-based investments. “We need both upstream investments and immediate response,” he said. “One stops the cycle; the other stops the bleeding.”
Looking ahead, SoundThinking says it is evolving beyond detection to include tools that support data-informed community safety planning. Clark emphasized that no technology is a standalone solution, but it can be part of a more responsive and equitable approach to public safety.
“No technology should operate apart from the people it serves,” he said.
For more information, visit www.soundthinking.com.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.