Directors request police briefing on ShotSpotter renewal, ask for deployment data and fire-notification option

Directors on the Little Rock City Board of Directors asked for a formal presentation from the police department on ShotSpotter and other department technology as the board considers a renewal of the service.

"My position is currently unchanged," Director Phillips said, explaining she would "share those in detail next week as well" and requesting that someone from the police department be present to address what the city has done with ShotSpotter over the past year. Phillips said she remains concerned about spending money on a technology she said "is not, completely accurate at all times."

Director Adcock asked whether the renewal would expand the program and, if so, what areas would be included. "I'd like to have all the numbers from this program... I'd like to have it by Friday," Adcock said, pressing staff for deployment and performance metrics ahead of next week's meeting. Staff replied that the current item is a renewal, not an expansion, and that the police chief did not recommend expansion.

Adcock also relayed a request from a local fire station seeking a notification link so crews would be alerted when a shots-fired alert occurs in their response area "so that they know to be more careful and that there are live shells being shot there." The board asked staff to determine whether such a notification is technologically possible.

Next steps: The board scheduled a police briefing for the next regular meeting and requested that staff provide program numbers by Friday. No vote on expansion occurred during this session; the transcript records requests for follow-up rather than a final decision.