Cambridge City Council Selects Residents to Advise on Public Safety Surveillance Technology, Including ShotSpotter
The Cambridge City Council has selected forty residents to form an advisory group on the use of surveillance technology in public safety, including the controversial gunshot detection system, ShotSpotter. This civic assembly, the first of its kind in Massachusetts, was chosen via a lottery and includes a diverse representation of demographics, with half of the panel having direct or familial experience with gun violence. The group will also examine video surveillance in public parks. This initiative follows a recent reversal by the City Council in August, which decided to temporarily re-engage with ShotSpotter after initially voting to discontinue its use. The reversal came after a fatal shooting in July and claims from Cambridge police that ShotSpotter might have helped save the victim's life. The assembly will meet over four Saturdays between October and December to learn from experts and develop recommendations for the City Council by the end of the calendar year.
