CLEVELAND, Ohio – An independent report has found a gunshot detection system in Cleveland helped police respond more quickly to gunfire, but it wasn’t able to reduce crime.

Researchers at Cleveland State University on Friday released their 185-page report reviewing Cleveland police’s use of ShotSpotter. The release came at a hearing before Cleveland City Council’s Public Safety Committee.

Researchers analyzed 87,000 ShotSpotter alerts, observed how officers used the technology in practice and conducted hundreds of surveys of police and city residents.

The city-commissioned report found the technology’s use was a mixed bag. On one hand, ShotSpotter was reliable in identifying when and where a gun was fired; it helped officers arrive on scene faster; it detected gunfire that wouldn’t have

See Full Page