Public Safety
-
City Council is considering two options that would charge for paramedic care provided by the Monterey Fire Department when ambulance transport is needed. Some are concerned it would discourage people from calling 911. -
Gov. Bob Ferguson said he would request an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government, seeking to unlock federal resources and financial support, as flooding continues in Western Washington this week.
-
When the Eaton Fire broke out in the foothills near Altadena, the Los Angeles County Fire Department did not have access to a satellite-based fire-tracking program regularly used by other agencies.
More Stories
-
Police are harnessing the power of technology to help advance old investigations, and they are currently working to digitize all of their cold cases, hoping to be finished some time in early 2026.
-
The Kennewick police are getting several technology upgrades, including new taser weapons, virtual reality training, the AI-powered body cameras, enhanced records management and more.
-
Drones can enhance emergency response, but they’re only one part of the public safety toolkit, ideally making the jobs of the officers and first responders safer and more efficient.
-
The City Council last week approved the contract with Seattle-based BRINC Drones to provide one drone, a launch platform and software for a new drone-as-a-first responder program.
-
State police announced on Wednesday the total number of tickets issued for the holiday enforcement period which began Nov. 26 and ran through Sunday, Nov. 30.
-
Police officials say they are hoping to integrate drones and data analysis with pre-existing cameras, gunshot detectors and license plate readers that are already in use through Flock Safety.
-
The Olympia Police Department has contacted the vendor and requested their deactivation, which is imminent. The move follows community concerns around issues including privacy and immigration enforcement.
-
A study by a San Diego-based bail bond company analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from the last five years to find where deadly car crashes are most common.
-
The license plate reading cameras, usually mounted on 12-foot poles, have quickly become standard in police departments across the country, including the Dallas Police Department.
-
LAFD is requesting more than $1 billion for the coming year, citing needed enhancements following the wildfires there last January. The money would go toward 179 new recruits and a second crew dedicated to fighting wildfires.
-
A partnership between Duke University and Forsyth County will send drones equipped with automated external defibrillators during live 911 calls about people having cardiac arrest, when minutes can save lives.
-
The cameras can track fugitives, monitor suspicious activity and more, but they must be used responsibly and ethically in order to keep us all safer.
-
The Sheriff’s Office would receive the single largest share of the general fund, at $380 million, or about 42 percent. The remaining portion for public safety would go to the courts and emergency management.
-
There has been talk of relocating FEMA HQ to Texas if the state's emergency management chief is named the new head of the federal agency. But given the turmoil around FEMA this year, it may not be the right move.
-
David Richardson resigned Monday saying he'd agreed to serve as acting administrator through the 2025 hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30. He was widely criticized for the agency's response to the Texas flooding in July.
-
Investigators of major crimes have been using AI to transcribe victim, witness and suspect interviews. The policy is intended, in part, to help safeguard private data, a police commander said.
-
City-commissioned independent research found that the gun detection technology was accurate and improved police response times, but noted that it doesn't integrate with other technology and doesn't deter crime.
-
The grants, for which public agencies must apply, promise to benefit the business of government technology. The federal agency also announced $500 million in grants for protection against unlawful use of drones.
