South Side alder vows to sue if ShotSpotter isn't reinstated: 'We're saying we need it'

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Mayor Brandon Johnson insists the controversial ShotSpotter gunshot detection program is not coming back to Chicago. A South Side alderman, though, said the ordinance he and his colleagues approved says otherwise — and he's willing to go to court to prove it.

Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) was hoarse on the day after a marathon Chicago City Council meeting, during which he sent proposals by the mayor off to languish in committee.

“I don’t know if it was necessarily sending a message other than doing the right thing,” he said. “Doing the right thing by the people of the city of Chicago. In politics, it’s a two-way street. It’s give and take, and when you have 33 aldermen that say, ‘We want ShotSpotter,’ we represent the majority of the city — and we’re saying we need it.”

Beale said ignoring the will of those council members is “doing the city a disservice.”

“We’re serious about ShotSpotter, and if you don’t have anything in place, don’t just get rid of it,” he said. “We’re advocating for it because it does save lives. Right now, I think seven people have been found shot where ShotSpotter actually picked up where they got shot, but it took them hours to find those particular bodies. That’s a serious problem that needs attention, and we can’t just turn a blind eye to it.”

The council did pass an ordinance that would allow Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling to reinstate ShotSpotter.

The mayor declined a veto, which likely would have been overridden. He argued, though, that the ordinance is illegal.

Johnson said while his administration is committed to finding other effective technology, it’s only a small part of his community safety plan.

“There are some elements of technology that can be useful, but that’s not the be-all, end-all, not for community safety,” he said. “Because if that was the case, then safe communities around America all would have them.

He said his plan involves investing in people.

Beale said if the technology is not reinstated, the aldermen will sue.

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