Justice and Public Safety

The suite brings together a range of applications, allowing personnel to view 911 calls, dispatch activity, live video, records and jail activity in one place — part of a larger trend of unification in public safety.

If used properly, a body camera when assigned to police officers does not take sides, and therefore it draws a distinction between the type of competing stories that can often muddy a court case.

The Missoula City Council approved a $307,000 request by the police department for new tasers as well as training — which includes a set of new virtual reality headsets — at Monday night's meeting.

Following controversy and the resignation of two police officers, the city has approved a contract with a California-based background investigation to improve its background check and hiring process.

The police department has provided the first update to its crime statistics web page since December with a report including crime totals for the city as well as for each neighborhood and police patrol area.

In an 8-7 decision, a federal appeals court rejected any possibility of Baltimore, Md., restarting its aerial surveillance program, which began years ago and collected about 6.7 million images.

Researchers from the Portland, Ore., metro area are collecting data on trees in urban environments to help predict the effects of climate change and resident health, particularly on underserved communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic and livestreamed murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin may have prompted lasting transparency, with the possibility of more cameras in Minnesota courtrooms.

City leaders reignited a debate over establishing more oversight of police and city surveillance, prompting a response from police officials who argue any measures might slow the department in reacting to violent crime.

Cameras have been used for security for some time, and like it or not, they will be used more in the future. We should work to find resources to offer this visual neighborhood watch opportunity to all communities.

The new state law in Washington goes into effect in January and requires local police officers to have a video and audio recording of any "interrogation" that involves either a felony or a juvenile.

Police say an overhaul in the way they record crime statistics has prevented publishing crime data for nearly six months, making it harder for the public to track trends for one of the city's most pressing issues.

There is a concern that Bitcoin machines could be used for money laundering, experts say, as Northwest Ohio has become one of the United States' largest concentrations of Bitcoin dispensers.

The companies deal in automated traffic enforcement solutions, including a growing suite of AI and data offerings. Now they are forming what they call the largest transportation enforcement company in the U.S.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office has started using drones for search-and-rescue missions and other tasks. The drones were purchased using seized resources from convicted criminals.

The Piedmont Police Department is using automatic license plate reader technology to keep its citizens safe and to find people suspected of a crime. A new transparency portal is helping residents understand how they work.

Dozens of additional crime cameras will be installed in New Orleans later this year in an effort to help police catch violent offenders and illegal dumpers, the City Council decided Thursday.

Years ago, Albuquerque, N.M., installed a red light camera system that was unpopular and eventually canned. The city is now considering a new camera system that would only target vehicles moving at dangerous speeds.