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170

U.S.: Responding to the “gunshot detection” tool ShotSpotter, a Chicago police officer opened fire on an unarmed teenager (www.eff.org)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Three officers approached the boy’s house, with one asking “What you doing bro, you good?” They heard a loud bang, later determined to be fireworks, and shot at the child. Fortunately, no physical injuries were recorded. In initial reports, police falsely claimed that they fired at a “man” who had fired on officers.

In a subsequent assessment of the event, the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability (“COPA”) concluded that “a firearm was not used against the officers.” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling placed all attending officers on administrative duty for 30 days and is investigating whether the officers violated department policies.

ShotSpotter is the largest company which produces and distributes audio gunshot detection for U.S. cities and police departments. Currently, it is used by 100 law enforcement agencies.

Experts have long been warning of these tools' the inaccuracy.

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[–] ReputedlyDeplorable 24 points 8 months ago (3 children)

The information is then forwarded to humans who purportedly have the expertise to verify whether the sound was gunfire (and not, for example, a car backfiring), and whether to deploy officers to the scene.

How many cars are around that still backfire loudly enough to be mistaken for gunfire?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

In my area, I'll hear cars intentionally tuned to backfire probably multiple times a day. It's extremely annoying and sounds very similar to gunshots.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

My own car has backfired exactly once, and it's a 90s car. And that was under very specific, non ideal, "I'm trying to get the engine started and I might have held the ignition too long" circumstances.

I can count on one hand the number of backfires I've heard in the last 20 years.

[–] brygphilomena 4 points 8 months ago

My modified car does more than I like. It needs a new tune and currently runs stupidly rich.

That said, it is rarer in stock modern fuel injected engines which can more accurately adjust the fuel to the air and throttle position than old school carbs can.