Fayetteville City Council members voted 8-2 at a Tuesday work session to accept an independent evaluation of the city police department’s use of gunshot detection technology ShotSpotter. But it wasn’t without discussion nor was it a unanimous decision.
Council Members Mario Benavente and Deno Hondros voted against the measure, citing questions about the effectiveness of the technology.
The evaluation done by the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law will be put on the upcoming meeting agenda for council members to consider along with a one-year extension of the contract with SoundThinking, provider of the technology.
In September 2024, the city council voted to extend the contract for one more year. They also sought to have the independent study done to determine how effective ShotSpotter is and whether it has reduced gun violence in the city.
Wilson Center staff who conducted the study at a cost of $190,000 attended the meeting via video as did Benavente.
Researchers said their evaluation was unable to determine how many ShotSpotter alerts were false alarms generated by something other than shots fired.
Benavente asked several questions regarding the lack of specific data points and whether the technology was worth the cost.
He also said that more data was needed from larger areas of the city. ShotSpotter has been deployed in three one-mile radius zones: around Cliffdale and Reilly Roads in west Fayetteville, in the Murchison Road corridor, and in the Massey Hill neighborhood.
The researchers were unable to provide specific data points around false reports of shots fired, the effect on crimes including homicides and its effect on police response.
The information is not clear about the number of arrests from firearm-related calls, Benavente said.
“I don’t know why we’re willing to go down the cliff with the ShotSpotter when there are better ways to spend money,” he said.
Council Malik Davis questioned the transparency of the evaluation and related conversations.
“I firmly believe the shots fired [numbers] can be manipulated. But what I will say to my district that includes Massey Hill, I do support it [ShotSpotter] and will continue to support it as long as the community supports it.”
Members were cautious in voicing support, citing the lack of information provided in some categories.
Hondros questioned the accuracy and the impact of ShotSpotter and said he was hesitant to continue with it.
The results of a study conducted by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute is expected to be finalized later this fall. This study will examine the ongoing cost of gun violence in Fayetteville.
“I would be able to support a month-to-month [contract] until we get the additional data,” Hondros said.
Another sticking point was how the technology would be funded. It has been covered with money from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“I asked specifically about having the ShotSpotter discussion around budget [planning] time,” Council Member Lynn Greene said. “The ARPA funds are gone. This is the first time we are looking at having to decide where the money comes from.
“I still have that concern, financially, where the money comes from. There’s no value we can place on a young person’s life, but we have to be fiscally responsible,” she said.
