Justice and Public Safety

People on foot are twice as likely to be struck by an electric or hybrid vehicle than one powered by gasoline or diesel, a study by London researchers found. Their relatively quiet operation may be a key factor.

Police departments and emergency dispatch centers need more workers. Gov tech suppliers are rushing to the rescue, promising new software, data integration and other tools to make up for vacant positions.

Two new tools from the public safety tech provider, fresh off an Innovation Day, offer AI assistance during emergencies and wider, unified views of data vital to first responders. The move reflects wider gov tech trends.

The software will integrate with existing case management systems and help identify defendants with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. It will ensure the county meets state law mandating such defendants be identified early.

New Jersey's largest school district will work with Turn-Key Technologies to replace 2,200 outdated security cameras across 66 schools with 7,200 high-tech cameras that include vape smoke detection and other features.

The Cuyahoga County Overdose Prevention App is designed to keep drug users safe by connecting them to someone who can stay in contact until they’re out of danger of overdosing. It was developed through a state opioid response grant.

The devices were not permitted anywhere in California, but new legislation allows a pilot in five cities including Oakland. Officials plan to install at least 33 cameras by the end of 2024 to catch speeding drivers.

The expected integration of artificial intelligence into police work has rekindled a debate about balancing possible public safety benefits of new technologies with ensuring the tools aren't violating rights.

The move comes amid wider debate about the role of green energy in law enforcement. Flock Safety says the flexibility of its new camera can also help ease police staffing shortages, a longstanding issue.

In coming months, drones will supplant police emergency response in the Central Park precinct, in three precincts in Brooklyn and one in the Bronx. It’s not yet clear the types of calls on which the drones will be used.

New legislation within Connecticut’s bonding package will make it the latest state where police can utilize new technology capable of identifying conspicuously noisy cars — and send tickets to owners.

The red light cameras, which can photograph a driver and their license plate and then send tickets to that person’s registered address, are controversial and not allowed in South Carolina.

The Kingston Police Department received nearly $1.15 million, officials said earlier this week. The funding can be used to purchase technology including license plate readers, computer-aided dispatch systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Waymo's automated driving system is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after 22 reported incidents, including 17 crashes, involving the driverless technology.

The Raleigh Police Department hopes that modernizing the department’s “real-time crime center,” through $629,000 in new federal funding, will help law enforcement in the city be more proactive.

Pennsylvania state senators are planning to introduce Alyssa's Law, which would require all public schools to be equipped with silent panic alarms that directly notify law enforcement of school-based emergencies.

Attorneys are asking Sacramento, Calif., officials to stop sharing automated license plate reader information with out-of-state law enforcement agencies that could use it to prosecute people seeking abortions or gender-affirming medical care.

Legislation pending before Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, touted to lawmakers by the safety company ZeroEyes, would earmark $5 million in grants for schools to buy security systems that comply with security industry standards.