BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

A controversial Birmingham police tool is getting renewed. For almost two decades, the Birmingham Police Department has used sonar technology to track gunfire in neighborhoods. You may have heard of it: it's called ShotSpotter.

Despite mixed reviews on the technology, Birmingham City Council members decided Tuesday to renew the city's subscription for the technology for another three years at a price tag of more than $3 million. ShotSpotter is used in cities across the United States, but questions have been raised about its effectiveness. It's been just about a year since Chicago did away with its ShotSpotter tech, and according to the city's justice project, areas where there were sensors have actually seen a more than 17% drop in violent crime and a more than 37% dro

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