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Gun violence is a consequence of disinvestment, segregation, and inequity. In a piece penned by Jens Ludwig, the Pritzker Director at the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, he makes this clear, correctly pointing to community violence intervention (CVI), trauma-informed care, and economic opportunity as ingredients to reversing the cycle.
But let’s not allow a false dichotomy to take root — one that pits policing against intervention, or enforcement against empathy. We need both.
In too many neighborhoods, gunfire goes unreported to police because residents have given up on calling 911. Fear of retaliation, distrust, and trauma have bred dangerous silence.
This is why gunshot detection technology is valuable. It doesn’t solve historic inequities, but it does restore awareness — ensuring that gunshots are recorded, mapped, and responded to. Disinvested neighborhoods suffer from data invisibility. When policymakers can’t “see” the problem, they don’t fund solutions.
Gunfire detection helps first responders arrive within moments of a shooting. That speed can be the difference between life and death. Additionally, these systems help officials understand where gunfire is concentrated, which is critical for violence interrupters, hospital-based outreach teams, and trauma-informed service providers. Detection helps them direct resources to get ahead of retaliatory cycles.
America’s civic ecosystem — from grassroots leaders to health workers to police — can build a new model for urban safety: one where community healing, precision data, and modern tools reinforce each other. I applaud the national movement to expand community violence intervention efforts and believe technology can play a powerful role in complementing that vision.
Some critics — often far removed from violent neighborhoods — view gunshot detection systems with suspicion. That’s healthy. But residents living in communities where the technology is deployed are often the most vocal supporters, because they regularly witness its life-saving impact.
If that’s controversial, we should ask why we are comfortable with silence and inaction, particularly in the communities which have suffered from gun violence for far too long.
Gunshot detection is not a panacea. It doesn’t replace the need for jobs, education, housing, or hope. But it is a tool that assists in responding faster, allocating smarter, and measuring the impact of violence-reduction strategies.
We should leverage data for good. Every neighborhood deserves to be seen, served, and kept safe — not just when someone calls for help, but whenever help is needed. We need to nurture and empower coalitions committed to public safety innovation, equity, and partnership.
We shouldn’t choose between equitable policing and crime prevention. Both can, and should, exist in harmony. It’s about keeping people safe, and we should all advance that goal.
Ralph Clark is the President and CEO of SoundThinking, the company that created ShotSpotter.
The opinions expressed in this column are that of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Defender.
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