After years of scandal, New Orleans accepts that the time for change has come.
New Orleans is a city plagued by public safety issues, including 200 murders last year. Several high-profile cases of police violence, as well as wide-ranging systemic failures, means local law enforcement are probably better known for contributing to the safety issues than they are to solving them.
This week, the New Orleans Police Department took a major step toward turning the department around by signing a comprehensive, 122-page consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to overhaul a broad range of policies within the police force.
The decree emerged from an 11-month DOJ investigation that found rampant bias, excessive force, and unaccountability. The measures the NOPD agreed to adopt include videotaping interrogations to rules forbidding officers from threatening those they are interrogating with violence against them and their families.
Mayor Landrieu expects the cost of compliance to be $11 million per year.
Thanks to Rachel Proctor May
FULL STORY: New Orleans Police, Mired in Scandal, Accept Plan for Overhaul
Proposed Law Would Curb Late-Night Partying in New Orleans
A string of shootings on Bourbon Street in New Orleans have inspired the mayor to propose a package of new security measures. One of the proposals would cut back the city's all-night revelry.
German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie