Three Massachusetts Lawmakers Call for Federal Probe into ShotSpotter Amid Racial Bias Concerns

May 15, 2024, 12:46 PM

Massachusetts' US senators are calling for a federal probe into ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection tool used by police in cities across the state and country. The call for investigation comes amid concerns that the technology, which Boston Police says is critical to saving lives, is ineffective and racially biased. Three federal lawmakers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and Representative Ayanna Pressley, have signed a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the federal funding of ShotSpotter, citing potential civil rights violations. The lawmakers argue that the system may disproportionately target non-white neighborhoods.