STPP listens to and learns from communities. Then, we provide tools to engage in technical and policy advocacy. In our horizon scanning work, we keep an eye on news reports, scholarly research, and policy developments related to new and emerging technologies, and assess the implications that new tech might have for our partners.
Our first horizon scanning brief, on ShotSpotter and similar acoustic gunshot detection systems, was released in the summer.
Acoustic gun detection systems (AGDS) such as ShotSpotter are a law enforcement technology designed to detect gunshot sounds and notify police of the event and location in close to real time. The technology’s accuracy, effectiveness, cost, and systemic biases raise serious concerns. Communities concerned with local law enforcement’s purchase and deployment of AGDS can advocate for a variety of policy responses including: a ban, moratorium, community oversight, or technology assessment & deliberative democracy.
Read more here
