Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about City Detect's AI-powered insights for municipalities
General Information
Are you a sole source provider?
Yes, we are happy to share our sole source letter on request.
Are you working with other cities?
We are proud to work with cities across the US such as Atlanta, GA, Stockton, CA, and Greenville, SC to name a few.
What is the cost?
Cost is calculated by using a standardized formula that takes into account population, geography, number of departments, and number of cameras required.
What is the estimated return on investment (ROI)?
Research has shown that early intervention and targeted communication can improve compliance and reduce operational costs by 6–15% of a city’s annual enforcement budget. Additionally, our services aid result in increased reporting efficiency, improved objectivity in detections, equitable enforcement, and proactivity.
Privacy & Compliance
How do you handle privacy concerns?
Images are captured from public spaces where there is no expectation of privacy. Legally, there are no privacy concerns, similar to Google Street View or standard code enforcement practices.
Can you blur faces?
Yes, we can enable facial blurring by request, though unaltered images are better for evidentiary purposes.
Do you collect personally identifiable information (PII)?
We do not intentionally collect PII and have safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized storage of such information.
Does City Detect meet cybersecurity standards?
Yes! City Detect has SOC 2 compliance.
Use Cases
How many vehicles would you recommend for a city our size?
It depends on vehicle type, routes, and travel frequency.
Can this system create cases in case management software?
Yes, we are actively developing integrations with leading case management software providers.
Are there applications for planning and zoning?
Our models are customizable for various departments. We are always eager to hear feedback on desired detections!
What is the retention period for images?
Images are stored in deep storage for 12 months, then moved to deep storage indefinitely, retrievable on request.
How do you select areas to monitor in the app?
You choose the overall areas and we collaborate with your GIS/IT team to import the necessary layers.
Technology & Capabilities
How often do you roll out updates to your software?
Our engineers are continuously training new models and we deploy frequent over-the-air updates.
What can your system detect?
There are lots of things our system can detect- over 100 roadside and housing issues that cities care about.
Does your system include GPS capabilities?
Yes, our system integrates GPS functionality.
How customizable is the software?
The software is highly customizable to show you the data you need to make decisions.
How long does it take to implement new features?
We work closely with clients to ensure feature enhancements meet their needs, with timelines varying based on complexity and priority.
Hardware & Installation
What are the hardware costs?
The installation and maintenance costs for the system are included in the annual subscription.
How is the camera mounted?
Cameras are permanently mounted on vehicles, usually on the right side, for optimal capture. Our engineers ensure secure mounting based on the vehicle type.
Can cameras be moved to different vehicles?
Cameras are permanently mounted. Reinstallation on a new vehicle incurs additional costs, though we provide documentation for fleet services to handle transfers.
How many cameras are installed per vehicle?
One camera per vehicle. We are developing multi-camera systems.
Data & Reporting
Can we download the data?
Yes, absolutely, the data is exportable in various formats and our engineers are happy to work with your IT group if alternative download formats are required.
What is the process from data collection to reporting?
Data is collected, uploaded, analyzed, and published within the web application. Data is typically available by 9am the following morning and is accessible via computers, laptops, and most tablets.
Can the web app notify users when a violation has not been dealt with after a certain period?
Yes, but this will require a case management integration, which our engineers are in the process of developing. This integration is on the product roadmap to be deployed by December 2024.
Responsible AI & Bias
How do you prevent bias?
To ensure equitable representation we train our AI models across a wide range of communities from high income to low income, east coast to west, and coastal to inland. By training across these different areas we ensure our models are exposed to a little bit of everything so that the predictions our models produce are consistent, accurate, and unbiased.
How does City Detect’s technology ensure fairness?
We ensure our models make fair insights into the communities that we partner with and we don’t target or analyze based on demographic. We take pride in our objectivity. We also work closely with our municipal partners to ensure the surveys are performed throughout various communities rather than targeting specific areas. We are a data first company and are proud to work with empathetic local leaders who have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to equity and protecting their community levels for all of their constituents.
Grants
What grants are available to help pay for City Detect’s services?
A variety of federal, state, and local grants can be used to help cover the cost of City Detect. CDBG Entitlement Grants, Choice Neighborhood Grants, and Brownfield Assessment Grants all include eligible data or software-related expenses. Most clients cover the expense from their innovation or operating budgets.
What grants management software do you integrate with?
We are currently exploring possibilities. If you have a preferred grant management software, please let us know.
How can we use City Detect data in our grant cycle?
City Detect data can be used in grant planning, community engagement, application, and reporting.
Don’t see your question here? Contact us to learn more!
