Finding Utility in Decatur

As communities across the country call for the use of new technology to ensure accountability for law enforcement and citizens alike, Decatur-born Utility continues answering the bell as the world’s second-largest manufacturer and supplier of integrated software and hardware analytics for first responders.

With 75 employees and counting, Utility leans on the deep and diverse talent base Decatur provides to continue evolving and growing its capabilities.

“Attracting highly qualified and innovative software and hardware engineers is easy with access to one of the smartest talent pools in the country,” said CEO Ted Davis. “Keeping these brilliant employees can be attributed in part to Decatur’s quality of life, as the easy accessibility to the area through multiple forms of transit and variety of things to do before and after work are difficult to beat.”

Utility’s technology powers over 500,000 devices deployed worldwide, including body-worn cameras built into police vests, in-car cameras with license plate recognition, and GPS trackers all tied to a central system and dispatcher. Recently, this remarkable team had a significant breakthrough, developing the first device that can automatically identify the origination of a gunshot with 100% accuracy and relay crucial information to law enforcement.

As a homegrown Decatur business, Utility has a strong partnership with the local community and particularly with the Decatur Police Department, which beta tests many of Utility’s newest technologies and gadgets before they go to market. This provides added value to the city as well, ensuring its citizens are the initial beneficiaries of the technological progress pioneered by its own people.

“Companies like Utility are the perfect fit for Decatur and our ethos,” added Angela Threadgill, manager of Decatur’s Downtown Development Authority. “Not only are they highly successful as a business and making a meaningful impact through their work, but being engaged in the community and giving back is also part of their DNA.”

So the next time you see law enforcement utilizing the latest technology to keep our communities safe and secure, know that it likely came from Decatur’s own Utility.