>> Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is exploring other options for first responder technology.

That's after the city's contract with gunshot detection system shot spotter expired Sunday with sensors starting to be removed today the contract came to an end despite an effort by some city council members to save the controversial system saying it's a crucial tool for police.

>> If one life he's saved with gunshot tech.

Now detection technology, then it is absolutely worth having.

How can Brandon Johnson, the mayor of the most American of American cities, put a price tag on saving lives.

>> Say that we spent 100 million dollars on ShotSpotter is a lie when the 53 Million.

>> Joining us now with more on what comes next.

Is Gary and gate would Chicago's deputy mayor of community safety.

We also invited Ralph Clark, the CEO of Sound thinking that is the company behind shot spotter.

But he declined.

Deputy Mayor, welcome Good.

Thank you for joining us.

Good to see you again.

to be So yesterday the city issued a request for information, obviously different from a request for proposal for first responder technology.

What kind of technology might that entail?

Well, we're excited to see what's out there far too long.

We've been pigeonholed law for technology.

>> And it's up to us to kind of see out there in the atmosphere.

So we can understand what better technology can serve the people of city, Chicago.

So you're aware that other kinds of technology exists.

Some thinking isn't the only player in this game?

No, absolutely not.

Right.

And though some people may think they are and I think, you know, that is a mistake.

So we want to see everything the south everything that's available to deliver on the promises to the people in the city of Chicago actually bring this safety were looking for.

It seems like the sort of reference to the kind of technology is first responder technology is the sort of a new term.

Is this something that something King introduced as as it fought to save its contract?

Well, that was a new technology, new terminology for them, but not for us, right?

We've always looked at how we help our first responders.

>> Not only are police department fire departments and even on a see call takers in the 9-1-1 calls.

because those folks, the first folks to actually hear from people on seats are really thinking about.

>> How we pull together technology that can not only help our first responders but also drive crime down throughout the city.

>> Why not start this process months ago when plans to cancel the contract were first announced?

Yeah.

Well, we started the conversations months ago, right?

We started exploring conversations that are working group and our partners understand what do we want to see?

What can we explore and what could be next.

Now they are 5 coming out.

Gives us time to really understand what is in the atmosphere and what can be developed for the city of Chicago and also gives us time really understand who can be a big player in the city.

Help us out.

>> Your office also started a working group to develop alternatives to shot spotter.

Their first meeting was an August.

Is that accurate?

Well, the first official meeting of the entire group, but members of the been plenty of times before that.

>> So they can have a better understanding, not just alternatives that that technology, but I'll turn it is in general to understand what can we be doing different what technology is out there.

What can we do for victims and survivors of crime and what can we do it other spaces as well?

So was ever just about that particular technology at company?

>> What what are goals in the metrics for this group had, you know, that are amenable deliver a report at some point.

What's the plan?

Well, they're playing and the goals are simple.

I got work together to bring recommendations to the mayor to the administration and help us build it out.

>> The goal is what we're looking for.

Not only in this RFI because that's already out, but also we're looking for the technology partner.

If we go that route.

>> Are there any concerns that any new technology will also come from a private company?

And that could also lead to some of the challenges that already existed with Shotspotter with sound thinking, for example, some thinking, obviously being the company that owns and operates shot Spotter, for example, the or profiting from from taxpayers data inconsistency.

I'm not having full access to the data because a private company or the any of those concerns in.

There's always those concerns.

And I think this is going to be important as we build out.

>> Do the RFI process into the RFP process.

What we require those companies to be 2 partners with the city of Chicago.

If you want to be a partner with the city of Chicago, you show up and work together to bring safety.

We don't bring fear mongering.

Want you to bring safety to the city of Chicago in partnership.

>> some thinking big Indian stalling the ShotSpotter sensors today and they said that they would plan to respond to the city's RFI for this technology.

And they've, in fact, offered 48% discount on the contracts that what you're hearing as well.

I heard that in the news.

They didn't tell us that directly.

Eunice, I heard that in the news and they also asked for 15 month contract on that.

So it sounded more like a sole source contract that they were looking for.

>> With the understanding that his other technology in the market, we need to be able to give other people a chance to see that with the city of Chicago to deliver on the promises that are made.

>> In a statement, Chicago Police Department says, quote, CPD frequently adjust our public safety efforts based on the needs of our residents and the resources available to us.

As we move forward, we remind residents to call 9-1-1 with as much information and detail as possible when they hear loud reports that could resemble gunfire.

It's imperative that we all do our part to keep the city safe and protect our families.

Gary, and many, Chicagoans are reluctant to dial 9-1-1.

What can the city do to address that?

And is that a result of the real lack of trust that exists between residents and police officer?

Yeah, but I think a lot of that trust is being built back.

I think the work that has happened between Chicago Police Department, some community members.

>> Being very intentional with the leadership of Superintendent Larry Snelling and the partnership we have that this administration office in the mayor in particular, how we show up in communities.

And yes, we want people to call 9-1-1.

Yes, we want police to show up and we want them to be a part of the community.

You know, we talk about community policing, the reality of it is that needs to be a part of the fabric of the work that happens in the city.

And we know they can't do it alone.

We know that safety is not just the responsibility of Chicago Police Department.

There's a responsibility of everyone in the city.

So as not just how they respond, here is how we work together to bring this safe.

>> There were 33 votes for an ordinance that would have given the police superintendent the power to extend the ShotSpotter contract.

Mayor's office has said that this ordinance has no legal weight, but what does it tell you that many members of the city council were, you know, split on this issue?

33 to 14, but also that they were split from the mayor on this issue.

>> Well, I don't think this is anything about their relationship with the mayor.

What I do think it they have concerns and we can address those concerns together.

And this is again, why we have an RFI to see what technology options are out there because we can look beyond what we currently have.

We owe that to the people of Chicago to look beyond what we currently have.

Yes, we have crime trending in the right directions, but we want to expand on that and we want continue to bring crime down and continue to explore It is the RFI process is sort of a reflection of how this >> Sound thinking shot spotter contract came to be for the city of Chicago in the first place.

You know, that's a great question.

And a country can play some time ago before, well before administration.

And I can tell I can promise you that conversation wasn't open is a transparent as this will be with the RFI process working groups with engagement with communities because people need to know what the options are out there.

That's the commitment as mayors made to the city.

>> That's a commitment the entire administration has made to the city.

We want this to be an inclusive process.

You mentioned the working group inclusive process.

Who's who's on this working group?

A good, much time to a good mix of folks, community leaders, law enforcement, street outreach organizations, violence interrupt leaders, City employees, not city employees.

And we're going to continue to grow faith leaders as well.

We're going to continue to go to bring people together.

Some elected officials to we really want to continue to grow on his working group.

And we really want to take this conversation to communities that have been impacted by violence so their voices can be heard consistently so they can really see what some of the options are that we can bring to the table.

>> Part of the concern and and part of the argument from folks who have supported keeping shot spotter has been, you know, there's still crime in our communities and there have been conflicting reports about how much it works.

Of course.

What do you say to some of those folks who say we need to be doing everything we can and let's keep it.

>> What I would say to them is I agree we can be that we should be doing everything we can.

But I would also say, as you look at how the Chicago Police Department continues to show up along with our partners along with the other work that we continue to do you see that crime is trending in the right direction.

Obviously those numbers alone don't bring the safety that is needed.

But I can promise you the way people feel safe.

One day with this technology, they that feeling didn't change overnight.

Right?

Someone turning up the speakers in a neighborhood in their communities.

change their fill in the safety overnight.

What is going to change that is how we invest in people, how we bring crime down and how we hold folks accountable.

And we can only do that together in partnership.

>> This will be the has not vetoed this ordinance that was passed last week, correct?

Correct.

Okay.

As of today, he still has not.

But if and when he does as he said he would, this will be the first mayoral veto since 2006 with such a defiant city council.

How do you think the mayor will continue to to be able to work alderman?

Well, he's he's had a great relationship work with all of >> He'll continue to do that.

He'll continue to deliver on every promise he's made now only those campaign, but to the people in the city of Chicago.

So those relationships will continue to grow in, continue to get better because just like those aldermen and the mayor, we all have a responsibility to deliver not only to our constituents, but all 2.7 million people in the city.

>> Companies have until November.

First to get submissions for this RFI.

What's next after that?

>> After the RFI, we review what comes from there and we start rp process, right?

So we're really looking forward to what comes next.

And really looking forward to seeing what options are out there to really see how technology is advanced over the last few years and how we can help continue to bring safety up