Pittsburgh City Council Post-Agenda - 2/24/26

The Pittsburgh City Council held a post-agenda meeting on February 24, 2026, to discuss the renewal of the city's contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection technology. The meeting included public safety officials and assistant public defenders who presented data and concerns regarding the effectiveness and cost of ShotSpotter. It was noted that despite nearly $10 million spent, a significant majority of ShotSpotter alerts led to no reports or arrests related to gun crimes, raising questions about the value and impact of the technology. The council decided to postpone the contract renewal decision to gather more comprehensive data, including potentially inviting representatives from the technology provider, SoundThinking, for further discussion. The meeting highlighted the need for a thorough evaluation of the technology's benefits versus its costs before proceeding with renewal.