Mayor Brandon Johnson is facing mounting pressure to reconsider his decision to end the controversial ShotSpotter system. This decision has triggered an urgent search for alternative police technologies, which some business leaders have criticized as chaotic and hasty.
ShotSpotter’s parent company, SoundThinking, is one of eight firms that submitted proposals for the city’s “gun violence detection technology,” as revealed in the bidding process records, which closed last Friday.
ShotSpotter uses a network of acoustic sensors designed to detect gunshots, but Johnson has dismissed it as “a walkie-talkie on a pole” and a poor use of taxpayer funds. Ralph Clark, the CEO of SoundThinking, declined to comment on the matter.
According to sources familiar with the ongoing procurement process, Johnson's administration failed to anticipate the consequences of eliminating ShotSpotter in September, leading to what one insider described as a “mad dash” to open up bidding.
At a February meeting with prospective bidders, city officials were criticized for providing minimal information. Some attendees had flown in from across the country, only to be presented with a brief, 15-minute reading of the proposal document.
“This was definitely out of the ordinary,” said one attendee, who requested anonymity.
Kathleen Griggs, the CEO of Databuoy, traveled all the way from Vienna, Virginia. Her company offers Shotpoint, a gunshot detection system that promises to be the "fastest, most precise fully automated platform" for pinpointing gunfire.
Griggs described the meeting as frustrating, saying that city officials were “very curt,” repeating only information that had already been made public, and directing attendees to submit questions online. She noted that there appeared to be no interest in thoroughly analyzing the various gunshot detection technologies on the market.
Ultimately, Griggs chose not to submit a bid. “We’ll help the cities that actually want us,” she said.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Fifteen companies had previously pitched their technologies in response to a “request for information,” and 24 firms sent representatives to the brief meeting at Public Safety Headquarters. However, only eight companies formally submitted bids, with some joining forces with other firms.
The companies vying for the new contract all offer some form of gunshot detection technology, with some aiming to distinguish their systems from ShotSpotter.
Malcolm Weems, founder of TeQuity Partners in Bronzeville, explained that his company developed a proposal aimed at addressing the issues Johnson’s administration had with ShotSpotter. Weems is promoting Dragonfly, a system developed by Albuquerque-based EAGL, which uses “energy signatures” to detect gunfire instead of relying on sound.
“We believe our technology is much more accurate than ShotSpotter,” Weems said. “It’s also cheaper.” He pointed out that Dragonfly is already in use in Cicero, Illinois.
Weems, who previously worked as a finance manager at the Chicago Park District under Governors Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn, has a personal connection to the issue—his father was killed by gun violence. “So this is deeply personal for me,” he said.
Tim Kelly, the president and co-founder of Tupelo, Mississippi-based Crime Gun Intelligence Technologies, submitted a proposal for FireFLY LE, a gunshot detection system originally designed for military use. Using an array of microphones, Kelly said the system can accurately identify the location of a shooting, even in situations where multiple sounds are being picked up by sensors.
“The last thing you want, from a law enforcement perspective, is to send officers to the wrong location,” Kelly emphasized, noting that a false alarm could lead to an unconstitutional search or arrest.
Meanwhile, Jelware, a startup based in West Palm Beach, Florida, pitched a technology that uses mobile devices to detect gun violence. This system would alert both residents and law enforcement of nearby shootings, and founder Jelani Jacobs argued that “hardware products have been failing communities.” This seemed to be a critique of ShotSpotter and other competitors relying on fixed sensors.
“Everyone carries electronic devices 24/7, and they will be the ones to detect gunfire,” Jacobs explained. “We’re living in a time where everything is digital and contactless.”
Another bidder, Tampa-based Blue Hammer Technology, has developed an AI platform that analyzes forensic evidence from crime scenes. The platform scans thousands of cameras to identify patterns that could link criminals to crimes or weapons. Additionally, Blue Hammer’s system can track cellphones by “sniffing the airwaves” for the unique SIM card numbers.
“That’s why terrorists use flip phones—they don’t have GPS,” said Mike Fekety of Blue Hammer, adding that the company’s technology is capable of pinpointing devices without GPS.
Diego Lopez, senior solutions partner for Norwegian gunshot detection company Triangula, revealed that Blue Hammer is bidding in collaboration with his firm, Microsoft, Samsung, and other partners. Lopez attended the February meeting alongside Microsoft representatives.
Details on the other three bidders remain unclear.
Several companies, including Silver Star Protection Group (based in Rolling Meadows), Motorola Solutions (from the West Loop), and Lyons View Manufacturer and Supply (based in Austin), chose not to comment.
Silver Star specializes in security for cannabis dispensaries, while Motorola Solutions manages large contracts for camera systems and radio infrastructure. Lyons View, led by Joshua Davis, has worked on various infrastructure projects, including those at O'Hare International Airport. Davis, whose father served on the Illinois Tollway board, also holds leadership roles at the DuPage Airport Authority.