Justice and Public Safety

The last year has seen an increase in ethical questions around how law enforcement uses tech. But not all policing technology is meant to catch criminals — much of it is designed to support community re-entry.

All of the 84 officers in the Bangor Police Department will now be equipped with body cameras, a new tool years in the making for the city, and police and prosecutors are welcoming the new technology.

By slowing down drivers 2 miles per hour in strategic areas during high-risk times of day, the startup and its government partners found they could reduce highway crashes in Southern Nevada.

When police overuse DNA databases and facial recognition, they violate rights, often disproportionately. Policy should limit use of DNA databases and facial recognition to cases involving significant danger to society.

A cyber attack on the NYC Law Department has prevented lawsuits about the NYPD's handling of 2020 protests from moving forward. The city has dodged questions about whether it uses multifactor authentication.

Through a partnership with Waze, NJ Transit is working to alert drivers as they approach railroad crossings. Since 1975, 187 people have been killed at railroad crossings in the state, according to federal data.

Criminal organizations around the world thought they were using the latest, most exclusive encrypted cellphone technology available to conduct business away from the prying eyes of law enforcement.

Spot, a robot dog produced by Boston Dynamics, has been employed by a few police departments over the last couple of years, raising the antennas of surveillance critics. Does Spot have a future in public safety?

Tyler is buying up a company that provides a range of corrections technology, including commissary management and video visits. Especially during the pandemic, it’s made tools like emails and texts free to inmates.

Maryland is one of the first states in the country to set rules limiting how police can use the popular websites and their databases, doing so by passing new legislation related to the matter just this year.

For about two years, the Anchorage Police Department in Alaska accidentally uploaded personal information of individuals involved in traffic accidents to LexisNexis. A system malfunction caused the leaks.

The police force of Azusa, Calif., recently experienced a ransomware attack, an event hidden from the public for months. A new investigation shows the agency also remained silent about an attack that occurred in 2018.

The chief justice of the Kentucky state Supreme Court told lawmakers Thursday that the rapid switch to remote hearings at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was beneficial in keeping the courts moving.

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office has unveiled an app dubbed the "Cultural Awareness Project," which gives police quick access to key cultural knowledge for use during non-emergency interactions.

The Metropolitan King County Council unanimously voted today to prohibit county departments, including the sheriff's office, from using facial recognition tech. If signed by the county executive, the measure becomes law.

Owensboro-Daviess County 911 dispatch is using new technology to allow callers to send photos and videos during an incident. The tool will help add situational awareness for first responders and could help solve crimes.

Plus, Dayton, Ohio, rolls out a police transparency portal for public info; Howard County, Md., announces a new robust digital equity initiative; and a Florida sheriff’s office deploys tech to find wandering seniors.

Springfield, Ill., police are looking to install about 80 of the cameras, which cost $2,500 per year, throughout the city to hopefully have “a positive impact on reduction of crime,” police officials have said.