Washingtoner - Tacoma: A Statement From At-Large Council Member Olgy Diaz on ShotSpotter

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~ Tacoma, WA- At-Large Council Member Olgy Diaz has released a statement regarding the implementation of ShotSpotter technology in the city. In her statement, she expressed concerns about the potential budgetary and staffing impacts, as well as unintended consequences of over-policing and data security.

Diaz had previously spoken out about her concerns in April when the announcement was made that ShotSpotter would be coming to Tacoma. She stated that she had many questions about how the technology would work and how it would be implemented by the Tacoma Police Department.

Since then, Diaz has met with city and police department leaders to learn more about the program. The Tacoma Police Department has also created a webpage with frequently asked questions to address concerns raised by Diaz and other community members.

One of Diaz's main concerns was data integrity and privacy. She wanted reassurance that the data collected by ShotSpotter would not be shared with third parties such as SoundThinking or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Tacoma Police Department has assured her that they will not share any data with SoundThinking and that ICE is not involved in this grant.

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Diaz also expressed concern about potential unintended consequences of over-policing in certain neighborhoods. She stated that there is no way to know for sure if increasing data for one area will impact response times in other areas of Tacoma or if there will be other unanticipated consequences. However, she acknowledged that other cities have tried this program and it did not work for them.

The At-Large Council Member also emphasized that there is no commitment from the council to continue funding ShotSpotter beyond the end of the grant-funded pilot. She believes it is important for the city to thoroughly review this pilot and determine if it meets Tacoma's needs as they continue to move forward with their Violent Crime Reduction Plan.

While most of the community feedback has been focused on ShotSpotter, Diaz wants to remind residents that this technology is part of a broader Department of Justice grant. This grant also includes other needed technologies for the Tacoma Police Department, such as crime scene imaging and new fingerprinting tools. These tools will help the department solve crimes and keep the community safer, and they will remain in use regardless of the outcome of the ShotSpotter pilot.

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Diaz also mentioned that there will be more opportunities for dialogue about police technologies in various neighborhood groups, such as Neighborhood Council meetings, Safe Streets meetings, and Neighborhood Business District meetings. She encourages community members to stay involved in this conversation and continue to hold law enforcement accountable.

In conclusion, Diaz thanked all community members who attended outreach opportunities hosted by the Tacoma Police Department to learn more about ShotSpotter and the Department of Justice grant. She emphasized the importance of hearing from those who live and work in the Hosmer area where the pilot is being implemented. Diaz encourages everyone to stay engaged in this conversation as there is still much to learn about the technology and its impact on the community's safety.

Filed Under: Government, City

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