Public Safety
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Cities refuse to yield on ‘sanctuary’ policies in showdown with DOJ
Mayors and governors warn of constitutional overreach, and state attorneys general filed a legal challenge in response to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letter threatening funding cuts and criminal charges.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 20, 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 -
Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
Trump opens the door to National Guard addressing crime in cities
Federal intervention in Washington, D.C., raises questions for mayors nationwide about where federal authority ends and municipal autonomy begins.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 12, 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 -
Permission granted by Micropolis Holdings
‘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 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
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 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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 -
Toa55 via Getty Images
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 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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 -
Jim Vondruska via Getty Images
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 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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 -
Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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 -
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Legal showdown over immigration enforcement intensifies in LA
Los Angeles and seven other cities have asked a federal judge to block ICE raids, arguing they set a dangerous precedent for unchecked federal power in urban areas.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 9, 2025 -
Chet Strange via Getty Images
FBI director calls for local law enforcement vigilance in ‘heightened threat environment’
“There is no better ground-level intelligence than cops,” Kash Patel said, as the Israel-Iran conflict and recent incidents raise concerns about attacks in the U.S.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 26, 2025 -
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The pandemic and election disruptions have made local governments a target for cybercrime
Cybercriminals carry out highly targeted and prolonged attacks against local governments that involve advanced tools and techniques to infiltrate networks.
By Michael Keating • June 25, 2025 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Why some cities are bucking state sanctuary laws
“Non-sanctuary” resolutions signal growing tension between local control, state policy and federal immigration enforcement. Are these meaningful assertions of self-rule, political theater — or both?
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 25, 2025 -
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Mayors demand orderly, targeted immigration enforcement
Federal officials should notify local officials before immigration raids and limit enforcement to serious criminals, a U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution says while condemning recent ICE efforts.
By Michelle Havich • June 24, 2025 -
Kayla Bartkowski via Getty Images
As FEMA shrinks, cities face rising burdens — and risks
The backbone of emergency management is under threat, former federal officials say. Small towns may be the first to feel the effects.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated June 24, 2025
