Survey: Most citizens hold officials responsible for city technology

More than three-quarters of U.S. residents hold their elected officials responsible for keeping their city’s technology up to date and running smoothly. Conversely – more than half would fire a city leader for not upgrading to better, faster solutions.

That’s according to a survey conducted by CentralSquare, a developer of public safety and administration software. The organization collected and analyzed responses from 5,000 Americans from all different walks of life.

As a group, respondents indicated they perceive a direct correlation between city leadership and the technological posture of their community. Most felt that city managers, mayors and CIOs held the lion’s share of responsibility.

When asked about the improvements they would like implemented in their community, 91 percent said solutions should focus on proactive measures to address emergencies.

Additionally, respondents indicated they’d like to see:

• Greater smart city investments – 87 percent want more investment in interconnected response processes across community borders
• Superior emergency services – 59 percent want faster emergency response capabilities
• Increased budget for safety technologies – 54 percent want a larger budget for updating public safety technologies.

“Technological advancements are the ‘digital safety net’ for many of today’s cities, thanks to intelligent solutions that are leaving teams better prepared to handle and resolve emergency situations in real time while, also providing modern solutions for everyday operational requests,” Jatin Atre, CMO of CentralSquare, said in a statement. “Such advancements are empowering local leaders to revolutionize emergency response management, engage the local community and improve digital infrastructure for all.”