Justice and Public Safety

The latest deal for the Canada-based emergency response tech vendor brings in software to help law enforcement agencies keep better tabs on evidence. The move comes amid other such deals in the emergency services space.

Officials launched an online survey to gather info from people who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual violence, hoping that their experiences will help identify gaps in services.

My90, a San Francisco Bay Area startup that’s just five years old, gathers anonymous and aggregated input from residents in order to give law enforcement a better picture of when and where communities have concerns.

In Maine, police departments in Lewiston and Auburn have moved to a new encrypted radio system that cannot be picked up by civilian scanners. Proponents say the tech will help reduce misinformation and fraud.

The Indiana Department of Correction has effectively reduced the number of assaults between inmates, as well as those against staff, by tracking data about the inmates with predictive analytics software.

A Texas startup has started selling drones and software designed to give police, fire and medical workers a better view of emergency scenes. The move comes amid a broader push to improve dispatch technology.

A Denver man faces multiple felony charges after a Weld County, Colo., deputy used a tracking app to trace and eventually find his lost cellphone, ultimately discovering the phone in the bed of a suspect's truck.

An analysis conducted by a city inspector indicates that the Chicago Police Department's use of ShotSpotter rarely results in gun violence documentation and has led to increased investigatory stops in certain areas.

The Federal Communications Commission is considering a $5.1 million fine against two far-right operatives responsible for a robocall campaign that intended to discourage Black citizens from voting last year.

A city inspector general analysis of the Chicago Police Department’s multimillion-dollar gunshot detection system has found that it rarely results in police officers documenting gun violence.

Last week, the Illinois State Police started installing license plate readers on highways near Chicago. More than 200 cameras will be installed. Speed limits will not be enforced by this system.

The stationary cameras, called the Flock Safety Falcon, allow neighborhood HOAs and police officers to identify and find cars associated with criminal activity, according to a Flock Safety representative.

A company called Rescu says it can enable people to get quicker help in emergencies — and help governments improve 911 services. The tool joins other efforts at upgrading dispatch tech in this increasingly mobile age.

In 11 instances, Tesla vehicles have crashed during "Autopilot" mode. As a result, two Democratic senators have asked the Federal Trade Commission to look into how Tesla is marketing this mode to customers.

The new funding, guided by a major Florida politician, could help spark more activity around local and state technology deployments. It’s another sign of increasing activity in this space this year.

After a successful pilot program using what3words’ location detection tool, the Los Angeles Fire Department has officially adopted the technology to reduce the time required to locate and help callers.

With nine miles of beach to survey, Oak Island, N.C., has decided to deploy a drone to monitor beach safety as well as keep people off of sand dunes. Mayor Ken Thomas thinks other beach towns can follow this approach.

A study found that York City, Pa., could feasibly set up a 55-camera system to surveil the entire city. But the initial $3.4 million investment and ongoing costs is a hurdle for the municipality of roughly 44,000 people.