Savannah City Council unanimously approved starting the third phase of the city’s ShotSpotter subscription, setting the system’s range at 3.5 square miles.
Police Chief Lenny Gunther and Assistant Chief Robert Gavin responded to council questions about the department’s continued use of the technology. Gavin said it helps officers respond to gunfire more quickly and reach more crime scenes than they could without it. He said 80% of shots-fired incidents do not generate a 911 call, in part because people assume someone else will contact police.
Council members also asked how the technology is overseen and how its data is handled. Nick Palumbo raised questions about artificial intelligence oversight, while Detric Leggett asked about data harvesting and who receives information from police.
City Manager Jay Melder said Savannah is looking to include ShotSpotter data in the police department’s transparency portal. The portal had not been announced. Gunther had earlier said the department expected it to be active by the end of September.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
