Commentaries

Commentaries are contributed, non-commercial and educational articles that subject matter experts write for American City & County. If you would like to submit an exclusive commentary, click here to view our guidelines.

Highlights

The rise of automatic license plate recognition

Automatic license plate recognition (LPR) technology is becoming popular because it...

Voting systems are under attack

Digital threats to our election system didn’t begin with Russia, and they certainly won’t...

Elections, cyber vulnerabilities and the human factor

It’s quite possible that the biggest vulnerability of local elections systems are the...

Commentary

Strategic procurement for local governments

Faced with constant pressure to reduce costs and increase efficiency, communities are continually seeking ways to deliver their services in ways that are quicker, cheaper, and better. Parallel with these developments, procurement teams at the local government level are focused on crafting processes that offer value, enhance competition, and maximize the chances for successful community […]

Article

Preparing for a carless future

Today, cities have an opportunity to increase public transit ridership. New transportation options like dockless bikes, scooters and ridesharing – are quickly making their way – or are already established – in many cities. However, these options sometimes seem to be coming faster than cities can handle, and while a city’s first instinct might be […]

Article

The rise of automatic license plate recognition

Automatic license plate recognition (LPR) technology is becoming popular because it significantly reduces the time to arrest criminals. There is an increased need for advanced security measures on the roads, in schools, parking lots, tunnels, private businesses, etc. The addition of artificial intelligence to an existing surveillance system augments the capabilities of police to fight […]

Commentary

5 steps to reduce risk for critical infrastructure and industrial control systems

Thanks to the internet, we now obtain information, make purchases, and communicate with each other in ways that are dramatically different than they were only a few years ago. In fact, the advent of email, eCommerce, and social media has irrevocably changed how we conduct our daily lives. And the Internet of Things (IoT) extends […]

Commentary

Don’t overlook freight-related emissions in your climate action plans

Day in and day out, trucks deliver all kinds of goods to offices, retail stores, warehouses, and homes. Their activity touches issues that are essential to the livability and economy of America’s communities, including clean air and the efficient movement of people, vehicles, and cargo. Most municipal and regional climate initiatives focus on passenger cars […]

How cities are satisfying the public’s new appetite for mobility options

Smart Cities Council Global Managing Editor Kevin Ebi, explains how cities are trying to satisfy the public’s new desires for mobility options.

Commentary

Why local governments should consider a holistic approach to human trafficking

Most cities want to address human trafficking in a meaningful way, but there is no clear consensus on the best way to go about it. However, a comprehensive, citywide approach underway in three cities is demonstrating great potential. Chicago, Atlanta and my city, Minneapolis, have received grant funding as part of the Pathways to Freedom […]

Commentary

Training that works

While most cities offer job training programs, only a few successfully produce candidates that match local employers’ demand and close skill gaps. The job training programs of the past simply aren’t enough to fill the jobs of the future. Cities that continue to train primarily for blue-collar roles will find themselves left behind as automation […]

Commentary

Getting body cameras? Better get AI

If your police department isn’t using body cameras yet, it likely will be soon. Surveys show upwards of 95% of departments have either already deployed the cameras or plan to do so. The reasons for this boom are obvious. In addition to providing an objective record that helps build public trust, body cameras can be […]

Commentary

New arbitration remedy when FEMA denies public assistance for disaster recovery

Local governments now have an important new right of arbitration to help them resolve disputes over public assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Cities, counties and other entities who need public assistance to recover from disasters may now assert their rights before a neutral arbitration board. Before, their only option, in most cases, […]

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Commentaries

Commentaries are contributed, non-commercial and educational articles that subject matter experts write for American City & County. If you would like to submit an exclusive commentary, click here to view our guidelines.

Highlights

The rise of automatic license plate recognition

Voting systems are under attack

Elections, cyber vulnerabilities and the human factor

Commentary

Strategic procurement for local governments

Article

Preparing for a carless future

Article

The rise of automatic license plate recognition

Commentary

5 steps to reduce risk for critical infrastructure and industrial control systems

Commentary

Don’t overlook freight-related emissions in your climate action plans

Sponsored

How cities are satisfying the public’s new appetite for mobility options

Commentary

Why local governments should consider a holistic approach to human trafficking

Commentary

Training that works

Commentary

Getting body cameras? Better get AI

Commentary

New arbitration remedy when FEMA denies public assistance for disaster recovery

White Papers

7 Hidden Costs of Public Purchasing

New! E-book: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Fleet Utilization

The 2019 Public Sector Guide to Text Messaging Policy and Retention

Events

Twitter

Getting added training in areas like #PerformanceManagement and #negotiation will increase #procurement teams' valu… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Scott Sumners of @rlbamericas project management services, explains how to refine the #RFP process to position your… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

A group of residents from several unincorporated communities within #Anchorage have put forth a proposal to detach… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Three #Florida municipalities — @CityOfFWB, #NaplesFL and @cityportorange — have joined @FLCities in suing the stat… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

RT @WhatWorksCities: A great piece in @AmerCityCounty highlighting the work @cityofcorona's CIO, Chris McMasters, has done over the years t…

#Baltimore is reeling from an extensive #CyberAttack on its #servers that started last week. buff.ly/30oW4gK https://t.co/DbPp2icdp4

. @Masabi_com #CEO @bkzanghi explains how #Mobility-as-a-Service can help the different modes of public and private… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

A growing number of pioneers are stepping up to help lay the groundwork for the truly #SmartCities of the future… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…