Mesa, Ariz., is partnering with Aspect Software on an automated, text-based consumer engagement solution, or chatbot.
About 1 million people are expected to flock to Houston for 10 days of Super Bowl-related activities and more than 100 million people are expected to watch the Feb. 5 game on television. Officials have been working for more than a year to perfect a surveillance-based approach, more sophisticated than in past years, that includes surveillance cameras, overhead helicopters, and Houston police.
Carnegie Mellon’s CREATE Lab revealed its new app dubbed Smell PGH, which allows users to report foul odors directly to the Allegheny County Health Department so it can better monitor and act on these incidents of bad-smelling air. The app also includes visualization of smell reports across Pittsburgh.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will use drones in specifically defined incidents that include: search and rescue, explosive ordnance detection, hazardous materials incidents, disaster response, arson fires, hostage rescue, and barricaded and armed suspects.
Following public backlash, the Boston Police Department (BPD) has scrapped plans to purchase social media monitoring technology.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio debuted a new location intelligence dashboard designed to assist data-driven decision-making across city agencies.
A privacy committee for the City of Oakland passed an ordinance that would restrict surveillance, which will be decided on by the City Council.
The City of Long Beach, Calif., launched DataLB, an open data portal, which uses geospatial mapping technology for people to look up boundaries, health, infrastructure, planning, recreation and parks, safety, schools, and transportation information as it pertains to their area.
After the deadliest year in more than 20 years, the Chicago Police Department released its 2017 initiatives to reduce violence. The initiative relies heavily on using technology, specifically data analytics, to better understand how law enforcement can best protect residents and visitors.
Fayetteville, N.C., is turning to an online app to monitor the performance of the city’s services and programs. TRACStat, a new publicly available application, will report key performance indicators, such as performance data, budget and financial data, and updates for strategic projects across the city. The new app is replacing semiannual printed reports or static documents posted on a website.
