TROY — The city plans to sell as surplus property its high-tech listening system for locating gunshots.

City officials decided to scrap the 'ShotSpotter' system as ineffective by the end of the year. Now, they've opted to sell it to the highest bidder.

The city invested $250,000 to install the network of 22 acoustic listening devices four years ago to cover the neighborhoods with the highest incidents of crime.

The City Council voted 9-0 Thursday night to move forward with the sale. The council is expected to give final approval to the move at its Dec. 6 meeting.

The ordinance, which passed at the council's Finance Committee meeting, states, "The said property shall be sold 'as is' for the highest bid price and on such additional terms and conditions as shall be set by the city comptroller."

If no one bids for the acoustic system, the comptroller can dispose of it.

The city decided to drop ShotSpotter from its law enforcement tool bag to save $39,000 in annual operating costs and due to its disappointing performance, officials said in October.

Chief John Tedesco said at the Public Safety Committee's budget review session that the system never worked the way the police department expected.

"It wasn't reliable," Tedesco said at the time.

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Mayor Lou Rosamilia concurred. "It's not working in the way it's supposed to," Rosamilia said after the committee's budget hearing.

kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe