CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A challenge to Mayor Brandon Johnson's decision to pull the plug on the ShotSpotter gunshot detection program has cleared a hurdle at city council.
On Wednesday afternoon, Chicago city council members voted 34-to-14 in favor of a proposal that supporters say would make it harder for the mayor to remove the program citywide without getting more information about its effectiveness.
The vote followed about 90 minutes of often-contentious debate over ShotSpotter's effectiveness.
Those who oppose the use of the technology voiced their disappointment with the ordinance, including Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th).
"What I don't want to do is waste taxpayer dollars on things that don't work, and I'm not clear on whether this is the best use of our money," Taylor said.
Alders who feel the technology works, though, pointed to its planned use at the Democratic National Convention as proof that it works.
"Don't take away this tool that we need," said Ald. Anthony Beale (9th). "If it was good enough to extend through the convention to protect the conventioneers; it's good enough to protect the residents of this city every single day."
In theory, the measure will let alderpersons decide whether they want to keep the technology.
In comments to the media after Wednesday meeting, Johnson said he resolution has no bearing on his decision to end use of ShotSpotter — and he further stated that the approved measure is confusing.
"No one is even clear [on] what this is," he said. "You all heard the debate. Many of them didn't even read the so-called order. People don't even know what's in it."
Reporters pressed the mayor on four separate occasions on whether he planned to veto the measure; Johnson said only that he wanted to take a closer look at it first.
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