Chicago Expands Gunshot Detecting Technology on South Side

The city is expanding its gunshot detecting ShotSpotter program as shootings outpace last year's rate.

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced an expansion of the program to the 6th Police District, which covers South Side neighborhoods like Auburn Gresham and Chatham.

ShotSpotter cameras are planted on poles, detect gunshots and send the signals to a dispatcher who is monitoring them at a police station. Emanuel says gun violence is down in nearby Englewood, which already deploys the technology.

“The 7th District Englewood community is not just having seen a reduction since we’ve put in this integrative technology beating 2016 – which we all know in parts of the city was a very violent year – but they’ve now seen a reduction in gun violence beating 2015,” Emanuel said. 

In other news in Chicago tonight

The city announced a new pilot program to target the root of rodent infestations: reproduction.

The city will deploy ContraPest, a poison that makes rats infertile, at a garbage transfer station on the South Side. Officials say they'll monitor it for three months, and if the poison works, they'll roll it out city wide.

“If you don’t maintain the rodent population, if you don’t control it, it will control you. You don’t want to get to that point. You must control the rodent population so that it doesn’t overrun your living experience,” said Charles Williams of the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

Chicago Cubs Beat White Sox

Cubs Catcher Willson Contreras hit a three run homer off of Sox starter Carlos Rodon in the first inning, and the North Siders never looked back, despite some tense moments with star third baseman Kris Bryant being thrown out for arguing balls and strikes.

The series is now split at one game apiece and moves to the South Side for Games 3 and 4.


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