A state appeals court handed a partial victory to critics of Detroit’s controversial ShotSpotter surveillance system, ruling that city officials violated a transparency ordinance when they approved contracts for the gunshot detection technology without properly notifying the public. …

“The City of Detroit uses surveillance technology to identify the location of gunshots in certain precincts,” Judge Brock Swartzle wrote for the majority. “Given the inherent invasiveness of surveillance technology, the City adopted specific procedural requirements that must be met when procuring such technology. These requirements were not met here.” …

“Much congrats to each of our clients for standing up in this case on behalf of all residents of the city,” John Philo, executive and legal director for Sugar Law Center, said. “While more limited in scope than hoped for, the court’s decision is an important recognition that citizens’ oversight and input ordinances matter and cannot simply be ignored by government officials.”

See full story by Steve Neavling at the MetroTimes.

A panel of judges overturned a lower court ruling … Judges found the city repeatedly violated requirements to publicly post a report on how the technology works before holding public hearings at City Council but stopped short of voiding the contracts, allowing a lower court to determine the consequence.

“With surveillance and similar technology ever encroaching into every recess of modern life, procedural safeguards cannot be ignored or downplayed by government actors as mere technicalities,” reads a joint opinion from Presiding Judge Kristina Robinson Garrett and Judge Brock Swartzle.

“Proper oversight includes a knowledgeable public,” Philo said. “To leave that behind is a cynical approach to government and a cynical approach to democracy overall. In terms of whether ShotSpotter is good or bad, that’s not what this case is about. If you’re going to adopt it, then let’s have an informed public and an honest debate about the pros and cons of that technology, and let’s report what it’s doing.

Full story by Malachi Barrett available at Bridge Detroit and Detroit Free Press.