Chicago City Wire

Chicago Alderman Silvana Tabares slammed critics of gunshot-tracking technology "Shot Spotter" as political activists trying to line "their own pockets." Tabares made the comments during a meeting hosted by the city's civilian-led public safety commission Feb. 8, at St. Sabina Catholic Church in Auburn Gresham.

“The issue of shot spotter has become less about public safety and more about political spin," Tabares said at the meeting. “Critics of shot spotter say the technology does not prevent crime. They fail to understand the difference between violence prevention and responding to crime after it has occurred,” Tabares said. “Once the bleeding starts, its not the organizers that are needed, but the police and EMS to save lives and preserve evidence.”

“If somebody fired a gun in your neighborhood, would you like the police to investigate? I think the answer is clear to any unbiased person,” she said.

Tabares said ShotSpotter critics are self-interested and trying to “redirect money from public safety technology into their own pockets.”

“People of color are more often the victims of gun violence. I have a problem with outside groups pushing to remove a tool that cuts response times for officers,” she said. “Why would we deprive these communities of this resource?"

Tabares represents Chicago's 23rd Ward, which includes West Lawn and Garfield Ridge on Chicago's Southwest Side. Tabares was first appointed to the Chicago City Council on June 15, 2018 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, replacing Ald. Mike Zalewski. She was elected to a full term in 2019. Tabares previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives, first elected in 2013. She forrmerly worked as a journalist.

ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensors connected wirelessly to a centralized system to detect and locate gunfire in a community. It “captures the precise time and audio associated with impulsive sounds that may represent gunfire,” according to the company. The sensors are hidden on rooftops and telephone poles.