Public Safety
Covering topics such as corrections, criminal justice, emergency management, gun control and police/fire/EMS.
Enhancements and weatherization efforts mean this year’s freezing weather did not overwhelm the state’s electric system. But policymakers face tough decisions as future load projections grow.
Mass shootings are costing governments, schools and families billions. Those who sell, buy and harbor AR-15-style firearms and other pseudo-military killing machines should bear the financial burden.
Traffic crashes kill and injure millions worldwide every year and are a major drain on economic development. Improving road safety would produce huge payoffs, especially in lower-income countries.
The state Legislature also passed a package of bills aimed at reducing the likelihood of mass shootings by tightening rules to purchase firearms and other military equipment. Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign the bills into law.
The city approved $1.2 billion in bond money for street repairs, affordable housing developments, a new police station and other projects. But some officials wonder if increasing inflation will force the city to revise its plans.
Conservatives have targeted District Attorney Chesa Boudin, blaming him for the city's theft and murder rates. It's a sign that a public weary of crime may be growing dubious about reform.
Mayfield was devastated last December when a tornado ripped through Western Kentucky. New homes are starting to spring up, though, and the city's got big plans for reshaping itself.
The state’s House Democrats tried, unsuccessfully, to force a vote on an assault weapons ban on May 25, following the Texas school shooting. Republicans say they are already proactive with school safety and mental health programs.
A young state lawmaker’s life, dedicated to helping the most needy, was cut short by a white supremacist in a Charleston church. What happened there, in Buffalo and elsewhere is symbolic of a society corroding from inside out.
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered municipalities to review and reform their police procedures. Today, Syracuse police have made positive steps, but officials say they still have a long way to go.
Nearly 35 states have ended their health emergency declarations, which have given governors authority to mandate pandemic mitigation measures, and most of those remaining are set to expire before August.
Wisconsin’s largest city suffers from a soaring murder rate and serious budget problems. Cavalier Johnson, the first new mayor in nearly 20 years, can’t wait to turn the city around.
The city’s Community Police Commission recommended this week that the city have a policy and community discussion prior to using any kind of surveillance equipment to prevent invading residents’ civil rights.
The state has been under total Democratic control for four years, but a tumultuous two years with law enforcement, workforce development and the pandemic has some predicting that Republicans could regain control in November.
City councilors and members of the public have expressed concern that the purchase of a drone could negatively impact the homeless population. The city manager holds the purchasing power over the police drone.
Four cities in the region have proposed using millions of pandemic relief funds for surveillance cameras to aid law enforcement and increase public safety. But there are concerns about the privacy risks.
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