Public Safety
Covering topics such as corrections, criminal justice, emergency management, gun control and police/fire/EMS.
Sunset Mesa residents are pushing for fireproof construction with noncombustible materials to shield entire blocks and attract affordable insurance.
The department’s database violates the civil rights of Black and Hispanic young people by being too quick to add names and too slow to remove them, putting youth at risk of false arrest and wrongful deportation.
In 1984, about 19,000 volunteer firefighters staffed stations across the state; today, the numbers have decreased to just around 10,000. For many parts of the state, the loss of volunteer teams could have devastating impacts.
The account run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency covering emergency aid for disasters is projected to have a $4.8 billion shortfall by the end of the month. But replenishing the fund is proving to be politically challenging.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the formation of a safety task force that will be charged with finding ways to improve safety on school buses, including possibly requiring seat belts. Last week an Ohio school bus crashed, killing one student and injuring 23.
Six people died on Feb. 11, 2021, in one of the most destructive crashes in state history when a winter storm caused cars to skid along a two-lane tollway. On Sept. 1, two bills that aim to prevent similar crashes in the future will go into effect.
Keeping election workers and voters safe in a politically charged environment is an expensive challenge. Federal resources are available, and local election officials should take advantage of them now to get ready for 2024.
A federal judge who experienced the unthinkable is advocating for laws that restrict access to personal information about state and local judges.
With little in local tax revenue to help pay staff, rural Texas sheriffs are often forced to do more with less. Lawmakers hope a new grant program will help rebuild the ranks of rural law enforcement.
Experts worry that curfews disproportionately target young people of color.
As Chicago residents have spent the last few months hounded by wildfire smoke, experts have a variety of recommendations on how to avoid the bad air quality, including recirculating indoor air, using HEPA filters and creating a clean room.
It saw the 10th highest rate of 911 calls for heat of any state in August. This summer has been particularly hot and temperatures are likely to continue to rise in coming years, according to the N.C. Climate Science Report.
Kia and Hyundai auto thefts “exploded” last summer when social media users began posting how-to videos aimed at exploiting the security defect in the vehicles, according to the lawsuit.
The new state’s Attorney Ivan Bates had announced June 1 that he would resume prosecuting petty crimes, like drinking in public. His goal is to hold people accountable for quality-of-life crimes.
The island, one of the eight Channel Islands off of California, was ready to evacuate its 3,500 permanent residents if Tropical Storm Hilary became too unruly. But their comprehensive emergency plan was not needed in the end.
The U.S. Forest Service is distributing $1 billion to help communities protect themselves from wildfires, but congressional deadlines forced the first round of funding out in a hurry. For the next round, officials want to be more proactive.
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