Local Government

Plus, both the FCC and the NTIA are continuing to make substantial investments in broadband connectivity work across the country, senators introduce the Rural Broadband Protection Act, and much more.

Mayor Dave Bronson has issued a written inquiry about his city's recent municipal election. While the mayor said he's not questioning the results of the election, his inquiry calls for an audit.

The company already handles billing for 15 million households overseas and expects to gain in the U.S. via its Salesforce-based customer information system. It becomes the latest U.K. gov tech firm to expand here.

If the project gains approval from the state, Fountain Valley, Calif., stands to earn more than $30 million over 30 years in guaranteed revenue, including a one-time payment of $750,000.

Loup Power District is developing a funding resolution that can lead to the construction of a 300-mile backbone network. The effort will affect residents in four rural Nebraska counties: Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte.

For training purposes, police in Westfield, Mass., can now experience de-escalation and use-of-force situations through virtual reality. One advantage of VR training is that officers can train day or night with the tech.

First responders — from police to firemen — in Amherst, N.Y., often have trouble communicating during emergencies when they're only 100 feet away from each other. The town wants COVID-19 dollars to change that.

A press conference lasting less than 10 minutes was held Friday to address the April 16 cyber attack, but it remains unclear if any data was breached or when all city services will come back online.

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.