Cambridge City Council Ends ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection Use

The Cambridge City Council voted Monday to end the city’s use of the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, concluding a decade-long deployment of the technology. The council approved a policy order directing the city manager and police department to deactivate and physically remove the acoustic sensors within 90 days.

The final vote was five in favor, two opposed, and two councilors voting present. The decision followed extensive public comment and deliberation, with more than thirty residents speaking at the meeting. The system, operated by the company SoundThinking, has been used by the Cambridge Police Department since 2014. It employs a network of sensors designed to detect sounds consistent with gunfire and alert law enforcement, often within 60 seconds.

City officials who advocated for retaining the technology argued it provided a critical public safety tool. Acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells cited 11 specific incidents where ShotSpotter detected gunfire that generated no corresponding 911 calls, stating the system was the sole reason police were alerted. City Manager Yi-An Huang acknowledged the system was imperfect but contended it enabled faster police response times.