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DeSoto police present Year‑2 ShotSpotter data as contract nears renewal
Summary
Assistant Chief Ryan Jesnick summarized two years of the ShotSpotter gunfire detection pilot, reporting that roughly a quarter of alerts produced evidence or enforcement action and that a renewal would cost about $99,000 a year; council asked for more comparative cost and performance data before budgeting.
Assistant Chief Ryan Jesnick of the DeSoto Police Department updated the City Council on May 20 on the two‑year ShotSpotter gunfire detection pilot and said the department will return with more options and pricing ahead of a contract renewal decision.
Jesnick told the council the service began April 20, 2023, covers roughly 2 square miles (about 10% of the city) and provides suspected outdoor gunfire alerts with an approximate location within 25 meters (about 82 feet) to dispatch and patrol within about 60 seconds. He said the pilot has been funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and would need to come from the police budget if continued.
Why it matters: Jesnick framed the briefing as timely because the three‑year contract entered its third year in April 2025 and any renewal would need to be budgeted for FY2026. Council members pressed for evidence the system improves public safety and for comparisons with alternatives and costs before committing general fund dollars.
Jesnick presented the program’s operational data for the first two years: the department…
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