Safety and Innovation Zone Demonstration Project
Location
Clarendon, 2900 Block of Wilson Blvd., between N. Garfield Street and N. Fillmore Street, Arlington, VA View Map
StatusComplete
The sensors were removed and replaced with original lights in May 2023. A summary report is available highlighting key insights from the project.
About the Project
Arlington County’s departments of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (PSCEM), Fire, and Technology Services (DTS) teamed up for a new demonstration project that will create a “Safety and Innovation Zone” in the Clarendon area. The purpose of the project is to evaluate the impact of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more on public safety and to learn how they can benefit the County’s response times and serve as a new resource for information. The County will run the yearlong demo in partnership with Comcast, US Ignite and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI).
Targeted benefits for Public Safety:
- Improved public safety response by providing data to the watch desk based on sensor technology
- Heightened crowd safety (improved pedestrian flow and safety)
- Improved awareness of erratic or unanticipated behaviors
- Public health (improved detection and medical response times for residents needing assistance)
- Public safety response times through better detection of environmental events
Targeted benefits for Technology Services:
- Increased use of Artificial Intelligence-driven data with the potential to reduce unintended bias in government operations
- The ability to demonstrate anonymous data collection for privacy protection
- Successful implementation of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and other technologies that can be applied to other government services and operations
- Cost savings through the creation of new efficiencies
- Applied data sharing practices
About the Process
Because this is a demonstration project, the County sought to inform the public of the demo for awareness purposes.
Funding
The County's estimated contribution to the project is $13,601 for contractual services needed to mount and maintain the proposed light fixtures throughout the demonstration project period. This contribution will be supported by the County's Capital Contingent Fund (313).