AT&T was awarded a $6.5 billion contract to build and operate the nationwide network FirstNet. However, the legislation that authorizes FirstNet also authorizes a state to develop its own alternative on the spectrum carved out for the network, as long as the alternative is interoperable with the FirstNet core.

San Jose, Calif., wants to be America’s most innovative city by 2020, and it’s hoping that a recent $200,000 investment will help get it there. In an interview with 21st Century State & Local, San Jose CIO Shireen Santosham discussed how the city used the investment to support IoT strategic planning, as well as its technology plans for the future.

San Francisco has adjusted its open data portal to make it easier for residents to view crime statistics geographically.

Police helicopters flying above San Diego are now equipped with Internet capabilities. The San Diego Police Department uses its Airborne Law Enforcement helicopter fleet to protect residents; however, helicopters were previously unable to access the department’s computer-aided dispatch system. This system gives officers real-time information about evolving incidents.

To help prepare the public for wildfires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a new app called “Ready for Wildfire.”

Denver’s crowdsourced data platform asking people to indicate traffic hazards has garnered more than 2,200 responses since its March 6 launch. Sixty-one people were killed in traffic-related deaths on the streets of Denver in 2016. To redress the issue, Denver is participating in Vision Zero, a program where cities use data analytics to prevent transportation-related injuries.

CityGrows is a cloud-based workflow and transparency platform for local governments. With a focus on helping governments transition from paper-based processes to a digital platform, CityGrows improves the experience of interacting with public services for constituents and government employees, while also increasing public access to information about how government works.

Chris Connors, CEO of Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), stressed the importance of having zero false alerts with shot detection technology. SDS’s solution, dubbed the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System, boasts zero false alerts during its more than 16 million hours of use across the world. “It’s a major event when the sensor goes off, and we have to be right every time,” Connors said.

Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Program released a new Web app that streamlined the rental complaint process. The RAP website provides residents with information regarding rent increase laws, their rights as tenants, and the eviction process.

San Diego, in partnership with GE, is launching the largest deployment of a city-based Internet of Things platform in the world. Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced that the city is upgrading streetlights, and is using IoT sensors to transform the lights into a connected digital network that can improve parking, traffic, and public safety, as well as track air quality.