Justice and Public Safety

A cyber attack against the Nebraska Judicial Branch's internal intranet appears not to have exposed any sensitive data, officials report. The hack was part of a series of attacks against government entities.

Police agencies across Boulder County are turning to license plate recognition systems to get a handle on vehicle theft and other crime. Officials say the technology helps to more quickly identify stolen vehicles.

The San Diego Police Department will host a series of meetings to share information about body-worn cameras — the second piece of technology to be evaluated under the city's new surveillance ordinance.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is increasingly using drones to get real-time data from the heart of hurricanes. The technology allows greater access to the dangerous and destructive weather events.

Gov. Jay Inslee is calling for more speed cameras across the state to combat the rise in fatal traffic collisions. Data shows a lack of progress in the state plan to eliminate fatal and serious injury collisions by 2030.

The rollout of facial recognition technology in cities and states nationwide — as well as some overturned bans — could offer lessons on how to regulate other technologies that haven’t yet reached broad adoption.

A comprehensive ban on holding phones while driving takes effect Friday across Michigan, meaning actions that were previously allowed in vehicles under state law will now be illegal and potentially bring $100 fines.

The grandmother of a Lexington, Ky., homicide victim alleges the case could have already been solved if not for low-quality surveillance cameras at a community center near the scene of the deadly shooting.

The city is looking to implement a system that would allow callers to select the type of emergency they are reporting. Callers currently spend an average of one minute on hold when calling 911.

The city has signed a 10-year, $39 million contract with Axon Enterprises for the latest models of body cameras, in-vehicle cameras and Tasers as they become available.

Residents and businesses often call 911 to report cyber crimes, yet officers in smaller jurisdictions aren’t always prepared to identify cyber incidents, collect digital evidence or identify the relevant laws involved.

The organizers of a new program that keeps two St. Louis, Mo., recreation centers open late on weekend nights to keep kids off the streets say they plan to boost social media outreach after low turnout. 

The cameras are relatively cheap, with the best costing almost $2,000, but storage costs add up. There are requirements to have redundancy and in addition, rules require some of the data to be stored for 100 years.

A proposed network of public and private cameras, tied into the department's computer-aided dispatch system, would allow a valuable crime-fighting tool and near-immediate access to live video across the city, officials say.

Money for the cameras is coming from a $978,450 grant from the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, and what form the system will ultimately take is not currently set in stone.

A five-year contract for body-worn and dash cameras, along with updated Taser equipment, has been approved for the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The equipment is expected to be in place by early fall.

The technical plans for a project to improve the Ashtabula County court records system was approved this week despite concerns on the part of some that the work could prompt potential litigation.

Barton County Communications Director Dena Popp is almost giddy when she boasts about the host of new tools available to 911 dispatchers, which better enable them to help first responders get to callers in need.