Innovation and Technology

About the Innovation and Technology Department

Welcome to the Innovation and Technology Department, or as most people say “IT.” Our City is embracing technology at a rapid pace as we pursue our goal to establish the City of Riverside as an internationally recognized center for innovation. The IT Department has aligned with other City Departments to make this a reality. Here are just a few examples of the City’s innovative programs:

The City has a 24 x 7 virtual city hall whereby almost any service that can be offered in person is also available online at Riversideca.Gov. Also, a web site called EngageRiverside.com was created to promote information accessibility and civic collaboration, making it easier to citizens to access important government information, learn about how our government works, and get involved in the process. On EngageRiverside.com, site visitors also have access to the City’s open data portal, where raw data from various internal systems is regularly published to the site. Open data has the potential to crowd source creativity, allowing outside software developers to develop new insights, services, and products for the betterment of society. The City has also implemented leading-edge mobile applications, such as Explore Riverside, a visitor and tourist friendly app, 311 Riverside, an app that encourages the reporting of issues such as graffiti and potholes, and Riverside Tour Guide, a fun and technically advanced way to explore the monuments along Main Street. IT has championed additional resident services including free wireless at libraries and various community centers; video security in numerous parks, intersections, and facilities; an advanced 311 system for citizen reporting and inquiries; a Reverse 911 solution to notify citizens about power outages and emergencies; and an advanced Traffic Management Center to monitor bottlenecks in real-time, to name a few. Riverside has become a nationwide leader in innovation. The City’s IT department has won numerous awards, published national articles, and regularly speak to groups nationwide, bringing positive attention to the City and its incredibly innovative programs.