TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa City Council has approved a contract extension with ShotSpotters, a company that produces technology used by the Tampa Police Department to locate the scene of a shooting.

The Friday vote was 5-2.

Tampa police have been using the technology since 2019. It’s a technology that uses a series of microphones that have been placed on telephone poles and buildings to locate gunshots using triangulation.

It is currently installed in an area in East Tampa.

Some on the City Council, including Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak, worried about potential abuses of the technology.

“My question to you is: Are you comfortable spending taxpayer dollars on something that might be in violation of the Civil Rights Act?" Hurtak said.

In a statement, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said: “The Tampa Police Department has utilized Shotspotter since 2019, and it has been a proven tool to help solve crime and keep our community safe.”

Tampa police officials say that so far this year, 17% of ShotSpotter activations had corresponding 911 calls, and that the actual gunshots were in a different place from where the 911 calls were received. Also, he said that ShotSpotter played a role in locating evidence and actual locations.

Councilman Luis Viera said that local organizations like Rise Up For Peace approve the use of the technology.

“I think it’s a tool that is effective to help deal with gun violence in communities,” Viera said.