Local Government

GTY plans to go private after being acquired by a private equity firm. Industry experts talk about what this means for government customers and whether this type of deal can happen again as the industry grows.

Police in Fort Worth, Texas, will receive 600 new license plate readers from company Axon as part of a $74 million contract. A City Council member is concerned that the tech could be used against non-violent offenders.

In August or November, voters in Clark County, Wash., will be able to decide whether a 0.1 percent sales tax will be adopted in order to fund body and dash cameras for the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

The K5 Autonomous Security Robot is a crime-fighting robot that patrols, prevents and protects, according to its maker. The machine can also take photos and videos for security purposes.

Governments may be reluctant to invest in metaverse-based services without a clearer sense of how the space is forming and how residents want to use it. These early days could be time for learning what the technologies might offer and how interventions could encourage equitable development.

Starting next week, Cyd Harrell will succeed Carrie Bishop, who held the chief digital services role since 2017 and was the first person to do so. Harrell brings a deep background in the public and nonprofit sectors.

About one-third of Douglas County, Ore., is able to access fiber Internet. The project, which began over 20 years ago, has brought substantial economic impact to the local area to the tune of $28 million each year.

The city of Owensboro in Kentucky lost its email capabilities last year due to a cyber attack, and a vendor recently stopped a series of attempted attacks. As such, the city will continue to invest in cyber.

Police in Worcester, Mass., would like to purchase drones to help with various tasks, including search and rescue missions. However, the police department hasn't developed a drone policy, raising multiple concerns.

Cities are looking to ensure privacy is considered when weighing surveillance technology procurements and data handling procedures. Oakland, Calif., introduced a privacy advisory commission, but it’s not the only model at play.

Central, La., is now allowing its police department to use nine license plate readers as a way to apprehend car thieves and other criminals. However, privacy experts say the technology invites corruption.

While infrastructure challenges and digital literacy gaps still impede digital equity efforts in many rural parts of America, public and private entities are increasingly looking to new partnerships to bridge the divide.

After years of struggling to find ways to diversify the workforce, the Pittsburgh Technology Council is following the model used by skilled trades union to pay women and minorities while they learn high-tech skills.

Batalla, who brings more than 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors, will serve as the new CIO for the city of Oakland. He will oversee a nearly $40 million IT budget and a staff of 85.

For almost four years, the small town of Maxton, N.C., has tried to get funding for a surveillance system that uses facial recognition. Officials want to continue working with a software company to secure funding.

Bolstering the city's bid to become a hub for geospatial technology, civic leaders have announced the creation of a new research center that will help build an industry that officials see as key to their economic future.

The tool, called Waste Wise, is an online database that allows residents to search items and quickly determine how and where to donate, recycle or dispose of them. It can be accessed on the county's website.

It’s a formal investigation into the City Hall employees involved in the controversial technology contract, as one city IT staffer defended ties he had with a winning bidder through an outside company he cofounded.