Why subscribe?
We will cover a few major themes in this newsletter, all interrelated:
Power and politics in public safety
Big tech serving local government
The work of first responders, how it’s changing
The history of public safety
Roll Call is a project that shines light on the most important shifts in civic life happening today. Police, fire, and emergency medical services are civic gravity; you know it’s real, you expect it to function consistently (for the most part), and you aren’t worried about how it got the way it is. Sometimes gravity behaves strangely: earthquakes! Black holes! Policies and technologies are in flux, and it’s important as a professional - or a neighbor - to understand the forces at play in public safety and why they work.
Taken for granted for a long time, public safety is entering a period of upheaval and potential change. Public trust in police is at or near all-time lows. The challenges first responders face are more complicated, but expectations are higher. Technology and policy will combine to create safer, happier cities, or to entrench greater disparity. Will cities wield police as the shield that protects neighbors from small disasters, or as a Praetorian guard for a few walled gardens? Roll Call will explore all of it.
Who Is Roll Call For?
Command staff and aspiring public safety leaders who are interested in the technology and policy landscape that will dictate the workplace of tomorrow.
Tech leaders, product owners, and engineers who are currently building, or want to build, the solutions that cities need.
Neighbors and voters who want to better understand this critical civic infrastructure and how it impacts daily life.
How Can I Support Roll Call, or What Value Do I Get as a Paying Subscriber?
If you can, please support Roll Call by becoming a paying subscriber, or give a subscription to a friend as a gift. If you do, you will receive:
An additional tier of newsletters that analyze specific companies that serve public safety, their business models, and strategic forecasts.
Access to Roll Call-exclusive databases of past agency procurements and models for future procurements across the public safety technology stack.
Benefits of being in the Roll Call Force, including access to our cross-disciplinary Discord server, office hours with Mitchell, and other perks still being developed.
The satisfaction and luxury of supporting an independent writer doing his part to make sure American civic life is better in 2050 than today.
Corporate Partnerships
Reach out to mitchell@rollcall.media or (520) 488-7359 to talk about how we can help:
Fill product, engineering, sales, and ops roles at your public safety focused company.
Sponsor one or more notes.
Design and execute specific research projects, retain us as a consultant, review products, or other market analysis.
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