Shortest Way Home, by Pete Buttigieg: on Gun Control

Pete Buttigieg: Installed ShotSpotter technology: identify source of gunfire

First, know the difference between reporting an issue and resolving it. In some cases, the two go so closely together that you can lose track of the distinction. For example, when we installed ShotSpotter technology using microphones to acoustically pinpoint gunshots, we were enhancing our ability to deal with gun violence. An officer could be immediately dispatched to the scene of a shooting, be it an outdoor fight or a domestic violence case, whether someone called it in or not. And this, in turn would help in the long run to deter gun violence.

But in other cases, knowing more doesn't help. At a tech conference, I saw a pitch from a startup that would automatically detect patterns of opioid use by scanning for trace amounts in the sewage. Financing a project to tell us more about the problem could come at the expense of treatment options