States move to rein in license plate surveillance as cities face growing scrutiny

Arizona, Connecticut, Florida and South Dakota are pushing for statewide rules. The issues “are too great to be decided in isolation at the local level,” the Arizona attorney general’s office says.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 28, 2026

Mapping, digital twins boost emergency services, building management in Frisco, Texas

The city created an indoor mapping system to help responders during school emergencies, but the system has since expanded to help asset management and more, an IT expert says.

By Joe Burns • Aug. 25, 2026

ICE is using shock gloves. Local police shouldn’t, a policing expert says.

Municipal agencies should scrutinize the technology’s capabilities, limitations and costs before following ICE’s lead in using it, a criminal justice professor and former police officer says.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 25, 2026

FEMA public safety grant policy challenged in city, county lawsuit

Four local governments sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over new requirements that would withhold $200 million in funding unless they verify voter citizenship and switch to paper ballots.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Aug. 19, 2026

Fire response is infrastructure. Cities should treat it that way.

Aging fleets and increasingly demanding fire conditions require cities to rethink how they support the technology behind emergency response.

By Kirk McKinzie • Aug. 14, 2026

Cyberattack impacts critical public safety operations in California city

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state AI cyberdefense program in the wake of the ongoing cybersecurity incident in Suisun City, California.

By Ryan Kushner • Aug. 11, 2026

As Flock surveillance camera backlash grows, one governor tells cities to pause installations

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is asking police officials to develop guidelines on surveillance technology and clarify how data is collected and used.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 10, 2026

Cities need a new workforce strategy. Universities should be part of it.

Local governments facing labor shortages can build stronger talent pipelines and improve public services through deeper partnerships with higher education, a criminal justice professor says.

By Michael Birzer • Aug. 7, 2026

30+ water utility cyberattacks expose a vulnerability across US cities

Attackers remotely accessed industrial controllers at water systems in seven states. The campaign suggests a common weakness utilities everywhere should address, experts warn.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 3, 2026

Accessible pedestrian signal rollout in Chicago ahead of targets, but technical gaps persist: report

Improvements are needed to ensure blind and low-vision pedestrians can safely use the system, inspectors say, but the city has exceeded its court-ordered installation requirement.

By Lori Tobias • July 29, 2026

States sue over FEMA tying public safety funding to elections, immigration

The agency’s threat to withhold Homeland Security Grant funding jeopardizes emergency response, wildfire management, flood mitigation and other programs, the lawsuit states. FEMA says it “will preserve election integrity.”

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 24, 2026

Beyond the stadium: What the World Cup can teach every community about first impressions

Why the visitor experience begins long before the first match and lasts long after the final whistle.

July 20, 2026

US pedestrian deaths decline for third straight year

The estimated reduction in pedestrian fatalities in 2025 came as cities and states increase law enforcement and other measures, the Governors Highway Safety Association said.

By Dan Zukowski • July 14, 2026

Election security requirements added to FEMA homeland security grants

The agency is requiring states and “high-risk urban election jurisdictions” to use paper ballots and verify voter citizenship. Previous immigration and diversity-related restrictions have sparked state and local government lawsuits.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 9, 2026

Extreme heat road map urges cities to rethink resilience

Treat extreme heat as a chronic risk, the Federation of American Scientists says. It offers solutions ranging from grid resilience to cooling access.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 8, 2026

Allowing guns in stores is the default, Supreme Court says

In shooting down a Hawai'i law, the top court puts the onus on owners of public-facing private property to say guns are prohibited if they want to keep their property gun-free.

By Robert Freedman • June 26, 2026

FEMA offers $1.5B in anti-terrorism funding as local governments assume larger security role

Applications are open through July 24 for grants supporting cybersecurity, emergency coordination, election and border protection and transit security.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 25, 2026

DOJ subpoenas of Minnesota city and state leaders quashed in federal court

Saying the subpoenas were intended to "harass, coerce, and retaliate,” the judge reinforced legal limits on federal efforts to pressure cities and states into supporting immigration enforcement operations. 

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated June 23, 2026

Crime is falling. Why don’t residents feel safer?

Statistics alone won’t change public perception, say the mayors of Providence, Rhode Island, and Kansas City, Missouri. Building trust requires visibility, relationships and consistent communication.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 18, 2026

Secure America Act expands ICE funding, puts new pressure on ‘sanctuary’ cities

The new law rewards local participation in federal immigration enforcement and directs funds toward operations in jurisdictions that limit cooperation. “Sanctuary” cities vow to fight back.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 11, 2026

Pedestrian death rates remain high: Smart Growth America study

More than three-quarters of cities studied saw higher average fatality rates over the past five years, but federal programs for pedestrian safety are at risk.

By Dan Zukowski • June 10, 2026

Is FEMA ready for disaster season?

While a new report warns of staffing shortages, vacant leadership posts and strained federal-state relationships, the agency’s acting administrator insists it is prepared for hurricane and wildfire season.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 10, 2026

What the World Cup reveals about cities’ growing heat risk

Extreme temperatures and wildfire smoke threaten athletes’ and fans’ health, highlighting the need to adapt infrastructure and public safety plans for a warming climate, scientists say.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 9, 2026

How do transportation agencies address human trafficking? US DOT awards recognize innovation

New “counter-trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and technologies” can qualify for monetary awards in a program accepting applications through June 22.

By Dan Zukowski • June 3, 2026

Sanctuary from what? Abortion, gun rights, other measures test the limits of local sanctuary policies.

As cities adopt protections for trans people, reproductive care, the unborn, gun owners and even bears, questions about enforcement, legal stakes and the cost of defying higher governments remain.

By Danielle McLean • May 18, 2026