SplitSec Trials Gunshot-Detection App in 2 Chicago Wards, Sending Alerts Within 1 Mile
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 26
SplitSec Trials Gunshot-Detection App in 2 Chicago Wards, Sending Alerts Within 1 Mile
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 26
Summary
Two no-cost trials in Chicago’s 21st and 42nd wards are testing SplitSec’s Android app, which turns smartphones into gunshot sensors and warns nearby users instead of relying on fixed hardware.
The app runs an AI model on the phone, asks users to confirm suspected gunfire, and can send alerts within a one-mile radius; two or more confirmations let SplitSec estimate the shooter’s location.
July 27-28 detections gave the startup an early signal the system can work, though it has not independently verified those gunshots and is still addressing false positives on sensitive phones and battery drain.
Chicago ended its SoundThinking contract in 2024 after disputes over cost and effectiveness, leaving police without those sensor alerts; SplitSec is not working with CPD and currently targets residents directly.
Privacy concerns remain central because residents’ phones do the listening, but SplitSec says audio is analyzed entirely on-device and clips are uploaded only with user consent after false positives.