Justice and Public Safety

Since last summer, Los Angeles County has addressed the opioid epidemic by striving to distribute 100,000 doses of naloxone, which can save a user's life in the event of an overdose.

Calif. Sen. Mike McGuire is pushing legislation that would require the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates utilities like PG&E, to develop a program to hasten the burial of power lines.

The Massachusetts Facial Recognition Commission released its recommendations to the Legislature for using the controversial technology, including strong limits on when local police may use facial recognition.

Body camera footage captured by a sheriff's deputy in Emmet County, Mich., provides some insight into how a small group fueled by misinformation attempted to take election data from a county office.

In San Antonio, COVID-19 slammed the brakes on in-person trials for 13 months, causing a backlog that at its height was about 50,000 cases. Some attorneys embraced remote practices while others shunned them.

The group, formally established via executive order, will continue its work with public- and private-sector entities to identify and respond to cybersecurity threats and strengthen the state's critical infrastructure.

Recently, the Warren County Communications Center launched a text messaging service to keep callers updated on the status of their emergency and a number to call for followup or other information.

Connecticut lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, advanced a bill that would require parental consent in order for any person under the age of 16 to use social media like Facebook or Twitter.

The Pittsburgh Task Force on Public Algorithms has released recommendations for county and municipal governments that are interested in using automated systems for better decision-making.

Baltimore Police Department will use a new crime reporting system, joining law enforcement agencies across the country that have taken the same step, all of it as part of a change required by the federal government.

As part of a new initiative to crack down on gun violence in the city, Mayor Eric Adams has reinstated the NYPD’s anti-crime unit. Officers are now equipped with new training and technology to maintain accountability.

The Oakland Police Department will launch a new drone program to aid missing person investigations and de-escalate conflicts. However, the move is raising eyebrows among privacy advocates, who see the tech as invasive.

Cleveland County commissioners recently approved a $36,000 annual contract that will provide updated devices that monitor county jail detainees' heart rate variabilities and motions.

Fresh off a funding round, the tech provider is helping the department bring its policy revision and compliance work into the cloud. The move reflects a larger push toward unified platforms for local government.

2021 was a banner year for bills on some big topics, including bans on discriminatory tech, protecting biometric data, regulating facial recognition technology and the use of drones. Here is a look at where they are now.

The Jeffersonville, Ind., City Council recently approved the city's police department to purchase the Flock Safety System for $75,000. The automated license plate readers will be used in criminal investigations.

The West Chester Township trustees recently approved more than $27,000 for the purchase of new drone technology, training and software. The move follows county law enforcement, which has used the tech since 2016.

At a news conference this week, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced that the city had lost more than $600,000 to online scammers who were targeting municipalities nationwide. An American suspect has been identified by the FBI.