Public Safety

The Potentially Life-Saving Map That Most Can’t See

Across most of the country, officials use a map tracking overdoses to monitor and respond to the spread of deadly drug batches. But not everyone who could access or benefit from it knows about it.

  • By Madelyn Beck, Wyofile

One State Targets Teen Drivers to Reduce Work Zone Deaths

As traffic deaths surge, contractors are calling on states to do more. One state—Oklahoma—will be the first in the nation to require teen drivers to complete a course on construction worker safety.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

County Wants to Employ Ex-Offenders and ‘Break the Cycle’

A unique jobs website lists available Shelby County government jobs for people with arrest or conviction histories in an effort to fill job vacancies and reduce recidivism.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

NHTSA Proposes a Pass-Fail Pedestrian Safety Rating for Vehicles

The scheme put forward by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration comes as pedestrian deaths are surging nationwide.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

For Some Convicted Sex Offenders, Finishing Their Sentences Doesn’t Mean They Get To Go Home

Several states are civilly committing sex offenders when their prison terms end. Observers say nationwide data on the practice is needed to shed light on how widespread it is and whether it is effective.

  • By Rachel Gottlieb

How Agencies Can Clean Up Criminal Records to Automate Expungement

Automatic record clearance is a growing priority for states as criminal records delay individuals’ ability to reenter society and fill open job slots.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Five Takeaways from Tuesday’s Elections

Women make history, Republicans lose ground and crime concerns take center stage. Here's what you might've missed in the dozens of city and statewide races Tuesday night.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Local Leaders Cheer Changes to Rail Safety Bill

The legislation would mandate a study of frequently blocked crossings, among other safety measures.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

6G Promises Immersive Communications for Public Safety

The next-generation cellular network is poised to massively upgrade situational awareness for public safety agencies, experts say.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Texas House Panel OKs Bill Raising Age to Buy Semi-Automatic Rifles

The surprise legislation—just days after the shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas—would raise the minimum age for purchasing certain firearms. The bill still faces an uphill climb in the legislature.

  • By Alejandro Serrano and Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune

Bail Reform Faces Backlash

New York rolled back key parts of its 2019 bail reform law amid fears of rising crime. Those concerns are echoed in communities nationwide—especially in places forging ahead with their own laws—despite data that shows bail reforms don't negatively impact public safety. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

New State Efforts to Address Workforce Shortages

As governments continue to struggle to fill public sector jobs, states are getting creative—from the first-ever public service law to allowing DACA recipients to become police officers. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Featured eBooks
Road and Transit Infrastructure Trends
Federal Recovery Funds at the State and Local Level
Infrastructure at a Turning Point

How One State Is Confronting PTSD Among Police Officers

Concerns abound about post-traumatic stress disorder in law enforcement. Minnesota, where the problem is acute, has ideas about how to curb the costs and keep more police working in the field.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Drivers More Distracted Now Than Before the Pandemic, Study Shows

Data shows that laws to prevent distracted driving have a near-immediate impact, but that the effect wears off quickly.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

With Fire Departments Struggling for Volunteers, States Respond to the Alarm

More than 80% of U.S. fire departments are composed mostly of volunteers.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline

Three Possible Bipartisan Approaches Emerge in Curbing Gun Violence

While state approaches to gun laws vary widely, some see places where both sides of the debate can find agreement. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

Black History Is Everyone’s History

COMMENTARY | How does an incomplete, inaccurate education omitting Black contributions serve society?

  • By Dr. R. Nicole Johnson-Ahorlu, Ajua Kouadio and Dr. Tralonda Triplett

Tennessee’s Rightward Shift

Long-brewing tensions at the Tennessee Capitol burst into public view Monday, as Republican House members began the process of ousting three of their Democratic colleagues for participating in an anti-gun protest in the chamber last week.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

New Jersey Bill Would Track Deadly Car Crashes Involving Marijuana

The bill would require the state to publish information annually on how many car crashes involve drivers under the influence of cannabis.

  • By Sophie Nieto-Muñoz, New Jersey Monitor

States Grapple with the Death Penalty

As it becomes harder and harder to obtain the drugs involved in lethal injections, most states are pausing executions and others are turning to older methods, such as firing squads.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Congress Looks to Undo Another D.C. Law

The police reforms under scrutiny this time deal with hiring and the release of body camera footage, among other things.

  • By Kery Murakami