TOLEDO, Ohio — Reports of the ShotSpotter program being removed from the Junction neighborhood is causing concern, as residents believe it's still needed.
WTOL 11 reached out to City Councilman John Hobbs, who's the Chair of the Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Committee, to learn what's next for the technology used to pinpoint where gun incidents happen.
Hobbs said he was able to speak with Toledo Police Chief Mike Troendly, who explained the Junction Neighborhood ShotSpotter was just the beginning.
Once this most recent contract renewal for the north and east Toledo ShotSpotters ends, there won't be any more. Hobbs stated that the technology is just too expensive.
At a Toledo City Council meeting back in May, around $280,000 dollars was approved to pay for a one year contract with ShotSpotter in north and east Toledo after the councilman said it brings results.
"It is extremely accurate. It can get you within yards of where a shooting has taken place," Hobbs said. "We want to do everything we can to make our citizens safe, our neighborhoods safe."
But the accuracy came at a cost the city just couldn't afford anymore. Hence, the ShotSpotter in the Junction Neighborhood got the axe. Hobbs stressed there was no favoritism in one community, it was just the timing in contracts.
"It would be said, 'Well there's still other contracts that are still out there.' It will not be renewed, because again it is a budgeting issue. It is a very expensive program," Hobbs stated.
The ShotSpotter program had been paid, in the past, through grant money from the American Rescue Plan Act and private donations. But according to Hobbs, the money just isn't there any more.
He reported that bigger cities had to deal with funding issues as well .
"Chicago has not be able to continue ShotSpotter as well, because it is such an expensive program," Hobbs said.
Nonetheless, funds won't overshadow safety, because they are looking for more grant funding, private donors and alternative ShotSpotter technology for the city. But, until then, Hobbs said community members need to speak up when violent crimes happen and share ring camera videos with police.
"So if there is a crime in your area, they can look at the camera to see, in certain blocks certain neighborhoods. See anonymously, whether they can pick up information to solve that crime," Hobbs said.
For more information on how to anonymously give ring-doorbell camera footage to the department to help solve crimes in your area, call (419) 245-3142, and ask to speak with a sergeant.