The new chair of Philly City Council’s tech committee wants to use data to help reduce gun violence

Did you know Philadelphia City Council has a technology-focused committee?

Councilmember Rue Landau, who was sworn in for her first term in January, is the newly appointed chair of the Committee on Technology and Information Services.

It probably hasn’t been the “most widely utilized committee,” Landau told Technical.ly, but she intends to change that — and is wasting no time.

At Thursday’s Council session — her first — she’s introducing a resolution that would task the committee with using data to find new approaches to solve the city’s gun violence crisis.

In general, Landau believes local government should be using data and information as much as possible when tackling issues such as public safety, housing, homelessness and education, she told Technical.ly.

As it existed, the committee had a mandate to explore information technology planning, improving digital literacy, increasing access to technology and determining the best uses for technology in Philadelphia. She intends to broaden that lens, and lead the committee in using data and technology to both solve current issues and plan for the city’s future — from “innovation labs, and some of the tech companies that are coming to Philadelphia and getting our young people ready to take those jobs, to even understanding AI more,” Landau said.

Rue Landau (second from right) with other members of Philadelphia City Council. (Courtesy Rue Landau)

“I really hope to learn more about potential technologies we could use to address our issues as well,” she said. “Philadelphia [is] not always at the forefront of solving our issues with technology, and I hope to help bring us there.”

Her new resolution is based on her experience working with the 57 Blocks Coalition, a collection of community organizations that are focused on reducing violence in Philadelphia. This coalition was formed after The Philadelphia Inquirer published an article identifying 57 blocks in the city where 10 or more people have been shot since 2015.

The resolution would authorize the committee to host a hearing that would examine data, hear from experts, and determine strategies and technology that could reduce violence.

It has already received support from 11 other councilmembers, she said.

“I’m using my role as the chair of the Technology and Information Services Committee to dig down deep into the data,” Landau said, “to analyze and implement neighborhood specific strategies to move Philly forward.”

Committee assignments for the 2024-27 term are here!

💻 As Chair of the Technology and Information Services Committee, I’ll use data to analyze and implement neighborhood-specific strategies to move Philly forward. pic.twitter.com/lhBxUnRhd3

— Councilmember Rue Landau (@RuePhilaCouncil) January 24, 2024