Justice and Public Safety

ShotSpotter’s days in Chicago are numbered, but some aldermen are trying — once again — to throw the gunshot detection system a last-minute lifeline as its time ticks down.

The work to install new video monitors, microphones, cameras and other equipment began a few months ago with the first courtrooms getting the makeover being those that handle criminal cases.

Sheriff’s deputies’ vehicles will soon be able to scan license plates and check drivers’ criminal records, in an expansion of the technology. Funding is coming via a grant from the federal Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.

The Portland City Council voted to expand a police drone program, enabling its use for all precincts and divisions despite pushback from some community members over surveillance concerns.

The latest Children’s Interactive Cybersecurity Activity Kit by the security training company KnowBe4 uses games, videos and printable material to show kids how to protect themselves from common cyber crimes.

Years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in Deschutes County still choose to attend court dates remotely. The county moved to electronic filing in 2015, with video technology emerging around the same time.

Local law enforcement officials credited Centegix ID badges with helping them respond quickly to a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia this week, and giving each classroom a warning to lock down.

In the first case of its kind in the country, a Charlotte-area man is charged with using AI to manipulate music streaming platforms to siphon off over $10 million in royalties, federal authorities said.

The devices, which are used by several U.S. military branches, can withstand being dropped from 30 feet in the air onto concrete, according to the website of the manufacturer, ReconRobotics.

NEOGOV, the HR, payroll and onboarding tech provider, wants to make it easier and more efficient for law enforcement to vet job candidates — and it’s hit the market with a new product launch to do so.

Some Indiana State University students are helping solve crimes through their processing of digital forensic evidence as part of a High Tech Crime Unit, having even assisted with a recent prosecution.

A new bill awaiting approval from Gov. Gavin Newsom would require vehicles to include a warning system that would alert drivers anytime they went more than 10 miles over the speed limit.

Mark43, the software company, is a records management system that will assist officers in drafting paperwork and conducting investigations, the New Orleans Police Department said.

Police Chief Mike Lee said the technology is part of the Flock Safety law enforcement system, which also includes license plate readers in Anderson and in several other locations in Madison County.

The agency is testing technology from ZeroEyes to identify guns in its “L” stations. It will send images to a company operations center for review before alerting law enforcement and public officials. Testing will run through summer 2025.

More Massachusetts police departments than ever are embracing body-worn cameras, recognizing not just benefits to the public, but to their officers as well. Yet the cameras can come at a steep cost.

A recent incident at Tampa International Airport showed what can happen when facial recognition technology is in use. Transportation Security Administration officers used it to identify and arrest a person with an active arrest warrant.

The latest expansion of ShotSpotter sensors covers parts of the Level Green and College Park communities, which are on the west side of Interstate 64 in the city’s fourth precinct area.