This is a topic that has come up several times and will most likely come up again next summer. I’m collecting the details here.

Current Status

Council approved 4-3 with Hurtak, Carlson and Maniscalco voting no, a contract extension through June 30, 2025.

Background

As I’ve been documenting Council, ShotSpotter first came before Council in November of 2023. At the time, Tampa Police Department (TPD) obtained a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) grant to cover the $280,000. Several Council members voted to approve the contract since it was grant funded. The contract came back before Council on June 6. At that time, Council voted against approving the Contract 4-3 with Clendenin, Viera and Miranda voting no. However on June 20, Council member Henderson motioned to reconsider the vote. Setting aside the discussion of how items can be brought back onto the agenda and voted on without opportunity for public input, the motion passed. After much debate, Council motioned to overturn the previous vote and approve the contract. Carlson, Hurtak and Maniscalco voted no.

Creative Loafing has a well reported piece on the last vote. Clearly TPD was caught off guard by the vote on the 6th and they recruited members of the community to come blindly speak in support of the system. Council member Henderson’s argument that no one showed up to speak against it on the 6th was proven false. At least 3 members of the public spoke against it. As did members of the public speak against it last fall.

Beyond the links documenting its controversial nature in the Creative Loafing piece, the issue of ShotSpotter locations being notoriously secretive is still there. Beyond that, recently reported by NY Times (gift link) “Gunshot Detection System Wastes N.Y.P.D. Officers’ Time, Audit Finds”.

Economically the debate is, “does this tool provide more value than 3 more officers on the street?”

[Update] After this was published, The Tampa Bay Times wrote a story on it. “In U-turn, Tampa renews contract for gunshot detection technology“.

A couple of points worth noting

Days after she first voted against ShotSpotter, Henderson said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor texted her about a shooting in her district that left a teenager hospitalized. Witnesses were uncooperative. ShotSpotter helped police pinpoint the location of more than 20 shell casings for evidence, Henderson said.

Does that mean TPD couldn’t have located the shell casing without it? Did they not know where the shooting occurred?

To the point about the transparency of a motion to reconsider, public awareness and comment, keep this quote in your back pocket.

When asked whether the police department or mayor’s administration encouraged residents who support ShotSpotter to attend the council meeting in anticipation that Henderson might reconsider her position,city communications director Adam Smith told the Times: “Of course they did. That’s Government 101.”