Local Government

An automated license plate reader system from Flock Safety, a company based in Atlanta, Ga., has made its way to two communities in Summit County, Ohio. The system utilizes cloud technology.

Former Seattle CTO Saad Bashir looks back at his years serving the city and challenges ahead for the next CTO. Pushing agencies to embrace a collaborative, cross-government view of IT may loom large on the agenda.

On Sept. 7, the Lowcountry Regional Transport Authority is kicking off the first year-round public transit option in Beaufourt County, S.C. This service was made possible by a $1.2 million grant.

Public-sector IT budgets are facing unique, though not insurmountable constraints in the wake of COVID-19. CIOs consider the pros and cons of monetary flush times, and how to build a better future.

The Dallas Police Department employee responsible for deleting 22.5 terabytes of police data was fired by city officials Friday. The worker had been employed for nine years and showed a history of errors.

Government chief information officers know that building an IT agency that can withstand any challenge means learning how to both do more with less and also exercise restraint when there’s a windfall.

A collaborative research project in Kansas City, Mo., uses sensors placed on buildings across diverse neighborhoods to monitor general air quality, as well as that in COVID-19 hotbeds, with publicly accessible data.

In Maine, police departments in Lewiston and Auburn have moved to a new encrypted radio system that cannot be picked up by civilian scanners. Proponents say the tech will help reduce misinformation and fraud.

The deal, only the latest in a hot streak for the gov tech market, comes after CivicPlus took on new private equity owners earlier this year. It brings together two companies with a strong foothold in local government.

Seven states have created cyber navigator programs, which assist local election officials with foreign cyber threats. While some local areas welcome the help, others are skeptical about the state getting involved.

A phishing email pretending to be the message of a legitimate contractor tricked the auditor's office in Rock Island County, Illinois, to wire $97K to a bank account. The scammers also landed an additional payment of $18K.

Roughly $2.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding is currently sitting in county coffers while officials determine how the funds can be spent. A decades-old public safety radio system is one project under discussion.

An analysis conducted by a city inspector indicates that the Chicago Police Department's use of ShotSpotter rarely results in gun violence documentation and has led to increased investigatory stops in certain areas.

Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim is now the first Illinois candidate to receive a campaign donation in the form of a cryptocurrency. She received $3 in Litecoin, and more crypto donations are expected to come.

On Aug. 7, a ransomware attack, perhaps brought about by phishing, led to the shutdown of multiple systems in Twin Falls County, Idaho. Between 2018 and 2020, governments have seen 246 cases of ransomware.

Staff at various Louisiana government agencies are returning to the office, but their perspective and toolset have changed. They’ve learned new communication tech and experienced a different kind of work-life balance.

Preparing against ransomware means getting response plans and contracts in place early, drilling, making — and monitoring — critical backups and, of course, convincing leadership to fund it all, experts say.

With nine miles of beach to survey, Oak Island, N.C., has decided to deploy a drone to monitor beach safety as well as keep people off of sand dunes. Mayor Ken Thomas thinks other beach towns can follow this approach.