Local Government

Regulations around generative AI are rapidly evolving. This list will keep you up to date on what governments are doing to increase employee productivity and improve constituent services while minimizing risk.

The Kanawha County Commission approved an almost $3 million purchase of body cameras, Tasers and license plate readers for the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office during its meeting late last week.

A drone was used by Harrisburg police to track down a man suspected of breaking the windows of several patrol vehicles at a city facility and assaulting an officer. A female accomplice was arrested at the scene.

That’s the question at the heart of the deployment of a new case management system by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. The agency’s CIO and an exec from Publicis Sapient talk about what is driving use of this new tool.

Plus, the FCC will vote soon on rules to eliminate digital discrimination, New Orleans wants residents to complete a slow Internet challenge, and more.

Dallas County Health and Human Services is continuing to enhance the public health platform that it centralized several years ago to monitor and improve the health of county residents and prepare for any future health crises.

The Los Angeles Police Department is considering changing department policy to increase random reviews of body camera recordings that don't involve arrests or the use of force, according to Chief Michel Moore.

The new HelpDesk AI from Springbrook Software is designed to help customers find information about HR, payroll, tax collection and other tools. This marks the latest use of ChatGPT in tech made for local government.

The county planning board spent nine months developing the regulations, which were spurred by public concerns that cryptomining operations could move into the county and cause havoc for those who live nearby.

Spectrum will soon lay fiber-optic cables in parts of southern and eastern Bexar County that lack high-speed Internet access or broadband infrastructure. The county will spend more than $5 million on the effort.

The telecommunications company will be donating funds to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office to combat the ongoing incidents of copper theft. The grant will cover the purchase of new technology to assist deputies with the effort.

Orange County District Attorney’s Office Hacked

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office information technology system was hacked over the weekend and portions of the system have been shut down while the agency investigates the damage, a spokesperson said Monday, Oct. 23.

The county has accepted a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to expand broadband access. The grant will help make broadband available to 2,986 unserved or underserved households.

Led by the co-chairs named earlier this month, the members of MetroLab Network’s GenAI for Local Governments Task Force will work together to create a comprehensive resource of guidance on the use of AI technology.

The center uses real-time technology as well as data-driven intelligence to increase prevention, apprehension and resolution of crime, officials say. The center has helped make more than 1,000 arrests since opening in 2021.

The Appalachian Regional Commission's Partnerships for Opportunity, Workforce and Economic Revitalization program awarded the grant to Washington County as part of an effort to get some 10,000 unserved or poorly served households online.

New York City has announced the launch of the new Smart City Testbed Program, which will involve government collaboration with outside organizations to launch eight pilot technology projects.

The city of Cumberland has established relationships with state and national cybersecurity organizations and completed various technological upgrades, but a security audit shows need for improvement, a city expert warned.