WHEREAS, Gun violence has taken a too-frequent toll upon the people and communities of the great City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Speed is of the essence for law enforcement and emergency personnel to get to the site of a shooting, for apprehending criminals, protection of the citizenry, and care for the victims; and
WHEREAS, Other than by sight, the easiest way to recognize whether a gun has been fired is to hear it; and
WHEREAS, When people hear a gunshot, there is a greater chance that they will report it, allowing law enforcement and emergency personnel to arrive at the scene; and
WHEREAS, Gunfire's distinctive, loud, sharp sound is an unintended but important safety-related aspect of any firearm as it alerts anyone in the vicinity to the gun's whereabouts and actions, allowing potential victims to seek escape and bystanders of potentially lethal danger; and
WHEREAS, ShotSpotter is gunshot detection, acoustic surveillance technology that detects gunfire and alerts police when a gun is discharged, providing a precise location on a map with corresponding data such as the address, number of rounds fired, and type of gunfire; and
WHEREAS, In an effort to reduce gun violence and assist law enforcement and emergency personnel, the Chicago Public Building Commission has voted to spend $938,500 to expand ShotSpotter in the Englewood and Harrison Police Districts; and
WHEREAS, In a disturbing recent trend, the United States Congress and the Illinois legislature have bills pending which liberalize the acquisition and use of gun silencers; and
WHEREAS, The proliferation of gun silencers would make ShotSpotter ineffective, put potential victims at risk, and slow law enforcement and emergency personnel; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, cognizant ofthe dangers silencers can create, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the possession of firearm silencers in the City of Chicago, creating regulatory consistency at the local, state, and federal levels; now, therefore,
Edward M. Burke Alderman, Howard
Ariel Reboyras Alderman, 30th Ward
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-fifth day of January, 2017, do hereby call upon the City Council's Committee on Public Safety to convene a hearing regarding the potential ramifications of weakening restrictions on gun silencers, and to solicit testimony from law enforcement, technical experts jaublic safety advocates, and interested members of the public.