https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/16818696/embed
The locations of microphones used to detect gunshots have been kept hidden from police and the public. An analysis of leaked coordinates confirms arguments critics have made against the technology.
The gunshot-detection system ShotSpotter has for years drawn criticism from activists and academics who believe the company behind the system, SoundThinking, places its microphone sensors primarily in low-income communities of color. Now, a analysis of data leaked from the company reveals the secret locations of ShotSpotter sensors around the globe and the US communities most directly impacted by the surveillance.
Until now, the exact locations of SoundThinking's sensors have been kept secret from both its police department clients and the public at large. A leaked document, which WIRED obtained from a source under the condition of anonymity, details the alleged precise locations and uptime of 25,580 ShotSpotter microphones. The data exposes for the first time the reach of SoundThinking's network of surveillance devices and adds new context to an ongoing debate between activists and academics who claim ShotSpotter perpetuates biased policing practices and proponents of the technology.
The document provides a detailed snapshot of the company's operations at the specific point in time that the file was created. We do not know if the sensors described in the document are still operational or not.
Updated 2/23/2024, 12:15 pm EST to clarify that the list of sensors included in the document obtained may not include every ShotSpotter microphone.
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