DETROIT (WXYZ) — In the Detroit's 8th and 9th precincts, ShotSpotter technology is already in use. At Tuesday's city council meeting, nearly a hundred people commented on whether it should be expanded.
Council ultimately postponed a vote on the expansion until next week.
Sevyn Jones told 7 Action News, “Some cities, I’ve heard it works for. Some cities, I’ve heard it doesn’t. What is it going to do for us?”
She's a lifelong Detroit resident. She grew up in Detroit and even started a small business on the Avenue of Fashion. Jones said she has a vested interest in seeing her community thrive.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had shootings on this street," she recalled.
That includes the mass shooting that left three dead last month. So, she chimed in during Detroit City Council public comment Tuesday expressing her thoughts on ShotSpotter.
The police department said it's designed to pinpoint gunfire for a quicker, more precise police response.
“I’m definitely for the technology. As with anything, there are the pros and cons," Jones said.
She said her main concern is how an expansion would be funded. As it stands, the department is asking city council to use $7 million in COVID-19 relief money for the expansion.
Some are concerned the funds are being redirected from other, more relevant uses.
“As it relates to the expansion, I do think more conversation needs to take place and as of today, I cannot support it as is," Mary Sheffield, Detroit's City Council president, said.
Sheffield questioned if funding should come from the police department’s budget. Council postponed the vote until next week.
During public comment, others expressed concerns about invasion of privacy as well as overly-aggressive policing.
Chief James White said, “Shotspotter is nothing but an investigative lead. It has no video. It has no voice recordings. It responds to the percussion of a gunshot. Period.”
He also addressed people's concerns that those millions of dollars ought to be put toward mental health and affordable housing instead. White said it shouldn’t be an "either or" approach.
The chief said, “Yes, we need services. Yes, we need mental health. Yes, we need social services. We need homes for people. We need education. We need resources, and they will absolutely have an impact on crime. But why can’t we run concurrently with those services and the tools that this police department needs to fight crime?"
Jones is looking forward to seeing how the council proceeds.
“They’ve got a big job. They’ve got a heavy decision on their plate," she said.
