Justice and Public Safety

Motorists traveling in Tazewell County are used to seeing sheriff's deputies in police cruisers patrolling, but they will soon be seeing deputies on motorcycles patrolling the roads as well.

Ahead of one of the most deadly weeks on Connecticut’s roads and around the country, state officials announced that more than 120 wrong-way detection systems have been installed on high-risk highway ramps.

The multiagency group will facilitate the research and testing of advanced artificial intelligence models in vital areas of national security and public safety. Its membership is expected to expand.

The number of fatal crashes in Connecticut statewide this year is on track to surpass last year's numbers despite a monthslong initiative targeting menaces on the state's roadways.

The technology that helped investigators track one of three men accused of opening fire in the French Quarter, killing one and wounding three, has also raised criticism about the actions of an Orleans Parish judge.

An update to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan for management could allow more logging to fight extreme wildfires and climate change. A draft environmental impact statement identifies several strategies for the U.S. Forest Service.

The city has hired a well-known local architecture firm to oversee engineering and design on a new police headquarters that would enable all officers to work from one facility. The move comes as the Dec. 31 deadline for cities to allocate federal American Rescue Plan funds looms.

Purchased over the summer, the three devices arrived recently, and three department officials are training to fly them. The unmanned aerial vehicles will likely be used at fires, during floods and to inspect hazardous buildings. They could gather intelligence during large fires.

The Ross Town Council approved a pilot to install eight motion-activated cameras that photograph license plates. Personal identifying information will not be recorded. It’s estimated a system will cost $25,200 to lease in the first year.

A new smartphone app from the Jasper County Emergency Management Agency offers readiness materials for a variety of emergency situations, plus the ability to send emergency alerts. Users can submit storm damage reports, and weather information, and make incident checklists.

Surveillance cameras, access control systems and panic buttons can accelerate crisis response times, but experts warn against allowing devices to supersede thorough planning and training for the entire school community.

The state was approved for a Fire Management Assistance grant through FEMA, in which 75 percent of the cost will be picked up by federal dollars and the remaining quarter through state and local resources.

At a recent event for police leaders, the message seemed to be that if your department is slow to adopt AI, now is the time to fix that because the future of policing will rely on it in all its forms.

A Government Technology data analysis of the Chula Vista, Calif., police department’s six-year groundbreaking drone-as-first-responder program reveals impacts on response times, officer safety and citizen privacy.

Assembled in Wyoming, Minn., the new rig is the city’s inaugural electric fire truck. It features an adjustable height, enabling it to maneuver rain and snowstorms that might sideline lower-riding trucks, and wheels capable of turning so as to round tight corners.

Boston City Council intends to seek more information from school officials about a report on the city's surveillance technologies, including which areas of school buildings are filmed and how the footage is used.

A new survey from the nonprofit organization the News Literacy Project found that 81 percent of teens believe at least one conspiracy theory, and they often see such theories on social media.

As real-time crime centers gain popularity, police are turning to the latest tools to catch criminal suspects more quickly than before. Glendale, Ariz., offers a glimpse of what’s to come for more departments.