Public Safety
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Supreme Court clears path for ICE to resume stops in LA
The ruling allowing federal immigration agents to stop residents based on ethnicity, language, location and occupation means city leaders must navigate legal uncertainty until at least 2026, a legal scholar says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 9, 2025 -
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Chicago officials decry ‘militarized’ immigration operation
The Trump administration’s announcement of Operation Midway Blitz escalates its clash with Illinois leaders over sanctuary laws and local authority.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated 15 hours ago -
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Sponsored by BlackBerry Secure CommunicationsConnected cities need secure communications for crisis management and interagency collaboration
State and local officials need secure communications that ensure operational security.
Sept. 8, 2025 -
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Trump shifts troop deployment threats from Chicago to New Orleans
New Orleans city leaders highlight historic declines in violent crime and warn against a federal takeover, while the Louisiana governor says he would welcome outside help.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 4, 2025 -
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Q&APosse Comitatus ‘is alive and well,’ legal expert says. What does that mean for Trump’s military use in US cities?
A judge ruled the Trump administration improperly used the military for law enforcement in Los Angeles. An expert on civilian-military relations explains the ruling and what could come next.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 3, 2025 -
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Chicago draws a line on federal troops
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s executive order affirms local control of police and outlines steps to protect Chicago residents as Trump prepares broader federal military and immigration operations in major U.S. cities.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Sept. 2, 2025 -
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Judge blocks Trump from halting funding to 34 ‘sanctuary’ cities
Trump’s orders threatening to strip funds from cities limiting immigration cooperation are unconstitutional, a federal judge said, extending protections to Boston, Chicago, Denver and more.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Aug. 25, 2025 -
Photo illustration by Andrew Harnik/Smart Cities Dive; photograph by Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
Cities brace for legal battles as Bondi’s ‘sanctuary’ deadline looms
Local leaders say they’re prepared to defend protections limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement even as the Trump administration threatens to revoke funding and bring criminal charges.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 18, 2025 -
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Sponsored by SamsaraSmarter fleet management helps cities do more with less
Cutting-edge technology and analytics can help extend the service lives of fleets, prevent breakdowns that interrupt delivery of critical services and slash maintenance budgets.
Aug. 18, 2025 -
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2028 Olympics security plan tests LA-federal partnership
Trump’s executive order puts the federal government in the driver’s seat for Olympics security. Experts wonder if cooperation — or confrontation — will be the result.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Aug. 18, 2025 -
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Ohio mandate requires local governments to establish cybersecurity programs
The regulation comes amid increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks but offers no new funding to implement the procedures.
By Ryan Kushner • Aug. 14, 2025 -
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Judge rules Trump violated federal law with LA troop deployment
The ruling halts the administration's plans to expand military policing to Oakland and San Francisco and enjoins it from using troops in other U.S. cities.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Sept. 2, 2025 -
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Trump administration asks Supreme Court to overturn ban on ICE enforcement methods in LA
The move escalates a legal battle over acceptable tactics for immigration enforcement within city boundaries.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 8, 2025 -
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‘RoboCops’ may be headed to the US
After years of development in Dubai, AI-powered police robots are moving toward deployment in New York and Florida, Micropolis founder says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 5, 2025 -
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Community-based safety solutions drive 22.6% drop in homicides since 2020, Democratic mayors say
Cities are reporting historic decreases in violent crime, but mayors warn that recent federal grant cancellations jeopardize the programs that fueled these results.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 1, 2025 -
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Trump sues NYC over sanctuary policy as mayor, City Council trade blame
The lawsuit revives constitutional questions about federal authority over cities and ignites a new front in tensions over federal immigration policies.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 25, 2025 -
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Cities move beyond law enforcement to treat root causes of crime
Concerns about emergency response to suicide, substance abuse and mental health are prompting a more holistic vision of police-community response, a National League of Cities report finds.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 24, 2025 -
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ColumnTraffic-related fatalities continue to rise in multiple cities
Are outdated government operations to blame for Vision Zero failures?
By Wes Guckert, PTP • July 22, 2025 -
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Bill seeks to fill federal void on heat protection for public workers
Proposed legislation backed by AFSCME and other major unions could raise the bar for how cities protect municipal workers from rising temperatures.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 21, 2025 -
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Deep DiveHow to protect employees from heat and other climate extremes
Clear protocols for identifying heat illness, safety training, paid breaks and access to water and shade are among the steps cities can take to protect workers as temperatures rise.
By Ryan Golden • July 21, 2025 -
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DOJ threatens to subpoena California sheriffs in seeking county jail data
The Los Angeles County sheriff said his department won’t hand over inmate data without a judge-signed warrant, setting up a potential showdown over federal authority, state sovereignty and local law enforcement discretion.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 18, 2025 -
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Local officials hold the key to life-saving flood and weather warnings
Accurate weather warnings are useless if they don’t reach residents in time. Take these steps to avoid mistakes that may have contributed to the tragedy in Texas.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 17, 2025 -
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$10B lawsuit targets LA over ‘epic failures’ in Palisades Fire
Class action and amended complaints accuse city and state agencies of negligence, mismanagement and cover-up in the January fire.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 16, 2025 -
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5 steps cities can take to prevent a flood tragedy like Kerr County’s
Cities and counties can strengthen their defenses — even on tight budgets — with smarter maps, stronger codes and regional coordination, a flood expert says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 16, 2025 -
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Cities see sharp decline in police fatalities
New data shows a 53% drop in officer deaths nationwide, which experts attribute to progress in public safety protocols, firearm awareness, de-escalation tactics and community support strategies.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 10, 2025
