Public Safety

U.S. Could Face a Simmering, Chronic Domestic Terror Problem, Warn Security Experts

COMMENTARY | The U.S. currently has elements that can lead to low-intensity domestic terrorism.

  • By Luis De la Calle, The Conversation

“Sense of Entitlement”: Rioters Faced Few Consequences Invading State Capitols. No Wonder They Turned to the U.S. Capitol Next.

Armed far-right mobs met little law enforcement resistance when they repeatedly attacked state capitols. You can draw a direct line from that kind of impunity to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6.

  • By Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica

Two Virginia Police Officers Charged in U.S. Capitol Riot

At least a dozen law enforcement agencies are investigating their officers' possible involvement in the episode. The arrest of two Rocky Mount officers marks the first federal charges related to the riot filed against law enforcement officers.

  • By Andrea Noble

Capitol Siege Raises Questions Over Extent of White Supremacist Infiltration of U.S. Police

COMMENTARY | Reports of officers involved in an attack in which the symbols and language of white supremacy were clearly on display are concerning.

  • By Vida Johnson, The Conversation

Airbnb Cancels Rentals in Washington, D.C. Region for Inauguration Week

The company’s decision to cancel and block lodging rentals comes after leaders from the District, Maryland and Virginia urged people to stay away.

  • By Andrea Noble

Michigan Commission Bans Firearm Open Carry Inside State Capitol

The decision comes in the wake of the siege of the U.S. Capitol and as statehouses across the country are on heightened alert for security threats.

  • By Andrea Noble

Local Police Departments Investigate Whether Their Officers Took Part in Capitol Riot

Police officers, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters attended the pro-Trump rally held before the riot began. Many are now on administrative leave while agencies probe their actions.

  • By Andrea Noble

After Mob Attack on U.S. Capitol, State Governments Take Precautions

Washington's governor announced plans for a heavy law enforcement presence at the state Capitol next week. Other states have taken extra security measures as well.

  • By Andrea Noble

Capitol Rioters Planned for Weeks in Plain Sight. The Police Weren’t Ready.

Insurrectionists made no effort to hide their intentions, but law enforcement protecting Congress was caught flat-footed.

  • By Isaac Arnsdorf, J. David McSwane, Logan Jaffe and Lydia DePillis, ProPublica

D.C. Orders 6 p.m. Curfew to Restore Order After Chaos at U.S. Capitol

By evening the Capitol building was secure, after a pro-Trump mob broke in earlier in the day.

  • By Andrea Noble

Death Penalty Used Sparingly by States in 2020 Amid Pandemic

States suspended executions due to the coronavirus outbreak and put just 7 people to death this year. Meanwhile, federal executions resumed for the first time in 17 years.

  • By Andrea Noble

Nation Sees Troubling Rise in Fatal Cocaine Overdoses

Many of the deaths involve cocaine mixed with the opioid fentanyl, a new analysis finds. Data shows that 2019 may have been a record year for deadly overdoses.

  • By Bill Lucia

Featured eBooks

Government Tech & Innovation
Management in City and County Government
State CIOs in 2020

Setting the Record Straight on the Current and Future Role of Prosecutors

COMMENTARY | The job of a prosecutor is right in the job title: to prosecute. But prosecutors’ roles have grown more complex over time as they’ve worked to fulfill the many dimensions of justice that their jobs demand.

  • By Nelson Bunn and Emily LaGratta

More Crucial Than Ever, EMS Agencies Are Short Staffed and Overworked

COMMENTARY | Adequately staffing emergency medical services has been a problem for some time, potentially putting lives at stake. The pandemic threatens to make shortages worse.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Immigration Advocates Make Some Election Gains, But Face Pushback

Some sheriffs won after pledging to limit deportations.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

How to Tell If the Election Will Get Violent

Some experts are predicting violence after November 3. But there are ways to prevent it.

  • By Olga Khazan, The Atlantic

Carjackings, Delivery Vehicle Thefts Spike During Pandemic

"These are crimes of opportunity."

  • By Jenni Bergal, Stateline

Virginia Governor Was Also Considered in Kidnapping Plot, Federal Agent Says

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Men accused in Michigan governor kidnapping also discussed kidnapping Virginia governor … Anchorage mayor resigns after admitting texting relationship with news anchor … Court-packing efforts at the state level.

  • By Emma Coleman

Emboldened Far-Right Groups Challenge Cities, States

Armed vigilantes have shown up at protests, sometimes with the tacit support of police.

  • By Erika Bolstad

Why We Need to Pay Attention to Police Officers’ Mental Health

COMMENTARY | A new study found that as police are under more scrutiny than ever, their mental health struggles remain profound.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Dismiss Minor Misdemeanors During the Pandemic

COMMENTARY | The business-as-usual approach to minor offenses is immoral and dangerous.

  • By Michelle Hall, The Atlantic