Federal and local agencies are embracing drone technology in order to save time and money on their day-to-day operations.
State and Federal representatives testified to the need for a first responder-only network and offered their support of FirstNet’s efforts during a recent Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing.
The South Bend (Ind.) Police Department launched a “Transparency Hub” on April 26. Using tools produced by Esri, the city’s Innovation and Technology Department partnered with the police to create the interactive dashboard, which reveals the prevalence of certain crimes over time.
Technology can play a vital role in keeping police officers safe while on the job. During National Police Week, a week dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of U.S. law enforcement officers, 21st Century State & Local takes a look at the newest technologies available to law enforcement around the country.
Police helicopters flying above San Diego are now equipped with Internet capabilities. The San Diego Police Department uses its Airborne Law Enforcement helicopter fleet to protect residents; however, helicopters were previously unable to access the department’s computer-aided dispatch system. This system gives officers real-time information about evolving incidents.
Chicago legislators urged the Chicago Police Department last week to consider using a device capable of detecting if motorists have been texting in cases that involve injury-related traffic accidents. Law enforcement officials would use the “Textalyzer” to scan a driver’s cellphone to determine if it was used to receive or send text messages during or just prior to a collision.
To help prepare the public for wildfires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a new app called “Ready for Wildfire.”
Axon launched a new law enforcement initiative this month. The provider of connected law enforcement technologies will equip every police officer in the United States with a body camera–for free. Axon will also provide supporting hardware, software, data storage, training, and support to police departments free of cost for one year.
Active shooter situations are becoming increasingly common, with 142 school shootings in the United States since 2013. 21st Century State & Local talked to four active shooter solution providers to understand what technology is available to schools and colleges and the importance of deploying technology before there is an incident.
Chris Connors, CEO of Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), stressed the importance of having zero false alerts with shot detection technology. SDS’s solution, dubbed the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System, boasts zero false alerts during its more than 16 million hours of use across the world. “It’s a major event when the sensor goes off, and we have to be right every time,” Connors said.
