Public safety agencies are under pressure to do more with less — respond faster, operate more efficiently, and remain accountable to both leadership and the communities they serve. This paper explores how telematics and in-vehicle data are helping agencies meet those expectations and deliver measurable results.
Drawing on insights from Center for Digital Government Senior Fellows Todd Sander and Bob Bennett, the piece highlights how real-time fleet visibility is saving lives, reducing risk, and cutting legal exposure. Examples include using telematics to proactively send backup when a vehicle remains stopped too long, detect unreported medical emergencies, and create data-driven transparency that reassures residents and city attorneys alike.
The paper also shows how cities are leveraging real-time data for better coordination and routing — from tracking snowplows in Syracuse, to rerouting vehicles around monsoon floods in Tucson, to coordinating multi-agency responses to major events.
