DENVER, Colo. — The Denver Police Department (DPD) is letting its contract with ShotSpotter technology expire at the end of 2026, potentially ending more than a decade of automated gunshot detection in the city.
The system uses sensors mounted on utility poles to listen for gunfire and alert Denver's 9-1-1 dispatch center.
DPD said it is evaluating "whether a new vendor can provide greater public safety benefits", according to a news release Thursday.
The decision comes amid nationwide scrutiny over police surveillance technology.
Matt Van Sistine, Board Chair of the Ballpark Collective RNO, said he wants to understand what is driving the move — especially given recent violence in the area.
"Why are they letting the contract run out?" said Van Sistine. "Is it because of budgetary issues where they're taking an effective tool away from DPD, or is the technology not working?"
Not everyone views the technology as the answer.
CEO of the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership Midian Shofner said surveillance systems like ShotSpotter raise deeper questions about trust and equity.
"Specifically around the shot spotter technology, it's the locations, it's the neighborhoods that seemingly have a deployment that is a higher volume," said Shofner.
Shofner pointed to concerns that many sensors are placed in lower-income areas and communities of color. DPD said it does not release the exact locations of its sensors, but that placement of the technology was data-driven.
According to DPD, from 2020 to 2026, the technology generated more than 25,000 alerts, led to 655 arrests and the recovery of 721 firearms.
As Denver weighs its options, Shofner is calling for meaningful community input in the process.
"How will communities' voice actually be involved in not only the decision-making process, but the creation of the RFP itself?" she said.
Van Sistine said neighborhood leaders hope to be part of that conversation as well.
"The most important thing is that we continue to support DPD in their efforts and whatever tools that we can have for them to be effective in policing," said Van Sistine.
As part of the ramp-down, DPD said it will begin phasing out ShotSpotter coverage in the Sun Valley and Park Hill neighborhoods.
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Upgrades underway for Colorado Springs' Rock Island Trail
The Rock Island Trail is getting major upgrades on the east side of Colorado Springs, with construction underway to fill in missing sections and make the route safer for walkers, runners, and cyclists.
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