An uptick in gun violence on the streets of Pasadena has spurred a new contract between City Council and ShotSpotter, an algorithm-powered policing technology that will soon be deployed in northwest Pasadena neighborhoods.

The City Council authorized a three-year, $640,000 subscription to ShotSpotter on Monday, Oct. 4, with a 7-1 vote, despite outcry from community members who cited the case of Michael Williams and others who have had their cases dismissed because of serious flaws in the use of ShotSpotter as evidentiary support for prosecutors, according to an investigation conducted by the Associated Press.

Councilman John Kennedy agreed with the frustrations of residents who alleged that the system can misclassify the sounds of fireworks or cars backfiring and lead to false claims that a defendant shot at police.

Kennedy also recognized the need to address the violence and the use of firearms in the community. “But I’m still unconvinced that ShotSpotter is the right technology,” he said.

Lt. Bill Grisafe, who presented the technology last Monday before the discussion was tabled by the council, recognized Pasadena Police Department officers sometimes have a hard time determining what area of the city a shooting occurred in.  ShotSpotter representatives say their system is about 90% accurate, meaning residents would see better response times and enjoy an enhanced feeling of safety in the city.

Grisafe added that responding to an alert by ShotSpotter would be no different than responding to a 911 call for shots fired. And because ShotSpotter proposed to cover three square-miles of Pasadena that is most impacted by gun-related violence, Mermell noted he didn’t view the measure as over-policing. 

It’s simply a technological tool that will allow police to respond, “and hopefully it also aids in their investigation,” he said.

Residents who phoned in during the public comment period wondered why the program wouldn’t be applied throughout the city, especially because ACLU representatives wrote a letter highlighting their belief that the acoustic gunshot detection system will increase the police footprint in Black and Latinx communities in Pasadena and lead to further frisks, contacts, detentions, seizures, and arrests. 

City leaders recognized there is a need throughout Pasadena to respond to violent crime, but said they feel the program should be initiated in the area with the most gun-related incidents in the city over the past two years.

The Pasadena community should not have to put up with gun violence, Mermell said, “so I feel that if this tool can help, it’s worth a try.”

An option to terminate the contract with ShotSpotter Inc., coupled with the potential benefits, swayed a majority of the council to approve the item shortly after Councilman Tyron Hampton motioned to pass the contract.

City leaders are expected to revisit the effects of ShotSpotter on the city in a year.