Municipal Equation Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

At a recent gathering of North Carolina municipal leaders, discussion briefly fell on a viral form of accountability activism from the public: “First Amendment audits," performed by citizen "auditors," with whom many local governments have had unforgettable experiences. Styles and practices of auditing vary, but generally in this context it’s the term for when private citizens, equipped with recording devices, occupy public spaces and engage with government officials (police officers, mostly) to test or evaluate their conduct. It can get tense. YouTube is bursting with videos uploaded by auditors that appear to show police and other government employees failing their test -- for example, an auditor might use provocative language to get a reaction from the police officer, who is expected to be cool and respectful of the auditor's free speech and other constitutional rights throughout. There are several cases of auditors successfully suing towns or police agencies over how their officers handled encounters, and it's a subject the N.C. League of Municipalities has followed for many years, even offering a course (called “Dangerous Crossroads”) meant to help with awareness of and readiness for peaceful outcomes with auditors, should they come around. On this episode, we talk with expert Scott MacLatchie about the subject and how the course, which he teaches, can help local agencies of any size.

Municipal Equation over the years has covered the challenges and successes of local law enforcement in a variety of ways. Today, we hear from the League of Municipalities’ in-house Shield Services experts – Tom Anderson and Joe Graziano, both of whom help agencies through the times, able to cite their own experience on the clock as sworn officers – about what it’s looking like out there today for law enforcement and public safety. Analysis of risks and liabilities; work toward innovations and solutions – it all makes for a thick conversation, evolving always, and it’s important that agencies participate together to understand and move the common needle, they say. “We’re only as strong as our networking,” Graziano told Municipal Equation. “Nobody can do this job alone.” Enjoy a full episode of interesting facts and candid perspective from League representatives who know the story closely. 

We talk with Lena Geraghty of the National League of Cities about in our cities and towns, and how municipal leaders can play a role in making it as good and inclusive as possible. 

What do Dobros and datasets have in common? We're about to find out. On this episode we talk with A'yen Tran and Jer Thorp of the New York-based Office for Creative Research to hear about their folksy initiative -- a finalist in the 2017 Knight Cities Challenge, no less -- to strengthen civic engagement via bluegrass music. Mystified? Well, the modern wave of data in municipal policymaking can sometimes mystify, too, at least when put in the form of charts and graphs for public consumption. Could data-fied mountain string music -- and lessons from the past that changed the history of bluegrass -- strike a new chord? Listen and learn why this novel approach is a Knight Cities finalist. Show notes: A'yen Tran, Jer Thorp and the Office for Creative Research - https://ocr.nyc Tran-authored piece, "Cultural Data Collection in Appalachia" - https://medium.com/memo-random/cultural-data-collection-in-appalachia-9c4a9547e80f#.l39hmhnrp 2017 Knight Cities Challenge Finalists, including "That High Lonesome Data" - http://www.knightfoundation.org/articles/144-finalists-advance-in-2017-knight-cities-challenge GovTech coverage about the project - http://www.govtech.com/civic/Demystifying-Civic-Data-Through-Song-and-10-Other-Civic-Tech-Finalists-in-the-Knight-Cities-Challenge.html A front-porch tune from Bascom Lunsford - https://youtu.be/FS_BeQMWUEA

A preview of the next Municipal Equation

Are we catching up to pop-fiction's futuristic portrayal of DNA in crimesolving? How about a technology that can sketch up an image of a suspect based solely on a sample of his or her DNA? The Fayetteville, North Carolina, Police Department is one of just a few local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. openly using such a tool. Applying it to a decade-old, unsolved local case of a serial rapist, the FPD is catching new tips after releasing facial renderings based on analysis of the perpetrator's DNA -- a potentially important development, as victims didn't get a clear look at his face and could only give authorities limited descriptions. FPD says it's using this innovation cautiously but wants to show the public that the department is willing to try cutting-edge techniques to bring about justice. Hear how it works on this episode. Show notes: Complete details about the 'Ramsey Street Rapist' suspect - https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/nc/fayetteville/fayetteville-police-department/fayetteville-police-department-media-release-38457122/ Report leads on the case to FPD at 910-483-8477 or 910-433-1855 Fayetteville Observer story about 'Ramsey Street Rapist,' with composite images of suspect - http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/fayetteville-police-closer-to-catching-ramsey-street-rapist/article_1509b1c0-6bac-5384-8c09-958a510467eb.html Police release DNA-based photos of 'Ramsey Street Rapist' - http://wncn.com/2016/12/14/fayetteville-police-release-dna-based-photos-of-ramsey-street-rapist/ More details - http://abc11.com/news/fayetteville-pd-hopes-new-technology-helps-catch-rapist/1657206/ NBC News from 2014 on "dying art" of police sketches - http://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/dying-art-forensic-sketch-artists-face-digital-future-n41421 AP story on oldschool police sketch artistry - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3512027/Sketchy-work-Police-artists-nab-bad-guys-pencil-paper.html BBC coverage of Alec Jeffreys and DNA - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8245312.stm More - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5405470.stm

Our 2016 year-end.

When we think of the word "brand" in an advertising sense, surely we first picture the Nike Swoosh, or the Coca-Cola can, or the Ford medallion, or, who knows, maybe the Quaker Oats guy. And for good reason. Their owners put forth gargantuan levels of money and strategy to make you think of them before their competitors. But what about when branding is the project of a local government? It's been happening a lot over the past decade, as cities and towns across the country seek to freshen or sharpen their images, most often to win new businesses, residents and economic growth. Just like with the private sector, town branding or rebranding is a delicate process that requires steady navigation to stay out of the ditch. What are the best practices? What's the secret? What happens when a town branding goes right? Or wrong? On this episode we talk with a town that's embarking on a branding project, another town that recently completed one, and a researcher who's written a lot on the subject. If your town is thinking about branding or rebranding, you might want to give this one a listen. Show notes: Southern City article, "Being a Brand Apart"- http://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/2016/2016-05/Pages/BeingaBrandApart.aspx Town of Morrisville, "Live Connected. Live Well." - http://www.townofmorrisville.org/index.aspx?NID=794 City of Newton branding initiative - http://newtonnc.gov/brand/ Town of Fuquay-Varina, "A Dash More" - http://www.fuquay-varina.org/416/Fuquay-Varina---A-Dash-More Staci Zavattaro - https://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/directory/staci-zavattaro/ Zavattaro on Twitter, with links to books - https://twitter.com/staciwithaz

A look ahead at Episode 14 of the Municipal Equation podcast from the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

What do drones mean for local government? How can city hall regulate these unmanned aerial systems? What are the rules to fly one? And -- perhaps most interestingly -- how might local governments adopt drones for better service delivery? Or even to save lives? On this episode, we hear from national and state experts in the public and private sectors, and from one town already flying its own drone. And yes, as drones are commonly outfitted with high-resolution cameras, the discussion didn't get away without a discussion of privacy issues. Don't miss. Show notes: National League of Cities report, "Cities and Drones" - http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/city-solutions-and-applied-research/governance/cities-and-drones N.C. League of Municipalities video, "Educational Forum on Unmanned Aerial Systems, Drones" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKK_loUcbg0 FAA drone info - https://www.faa.gov/uas/ NCDOT drone info - https://www.ncdot.gov/aviation/UAS/ YouTube rabbit hole, "Drones" - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22drone%22 Town of Manteo - http://www.townofmanteo.com/