Day: January 9, 2026

Learn how to deploy a successful RTCC in your citywith the right planning, technology, and partnerships Big and small, cities everywhere are trying to get a handle on crime and keep people safe. Much of this falls on the shoulders of law enforcement and public safety teams. These agencies are working around the clock, doing their best to quickly respond to emergencies and get offenders off the streets. And they’re doing it all despite ongoing staff shortages, increased violence toward officers, and rigid budget constraints. Using older, disconnected technologies makes their jobs even harder. Many inefficient manual processes and siloed communication between agencies cut into valuable time and resources. Add in the constant threat of cyberattacks and public mistrust over data governance; keeping cities safe can seem like an impossible task. For all these reasons, more city agencies are considering the benefits of real-time crime centers (RTCCs). In fact, according to The National Real Time Crime Center Association, there are over 150 RTCCs in the United States today. And that number keeps growing. RTCCs help cities and small communities harness the power of existing technology investments, real-time data, and advanced analytics to skyrocket public safety initiatives. They unify data streams and operations across city departments, which often leads to the following results: As law enforcement and public safety agencies start investigating or planning for an RTCC, knowing where to begin and what to look for and prioritize in the decision-making is critical. On the planning side, agencies must consider initial technology and space assessments, various funding strategies, and the vested interests of all city stakeholders. When assessing core RTCC platforms, data integration and unification, adaptability and growth, community connections, inter-agency collaboration, cybersecurity, and privacy should always top wish lists. Finally, working with an experienced and trusted partner can often help ease the entire RTCC journey and generate the most successful long-term outcomes. Why You Need an RTCC Challenges in public safety today Disconnected systems, data, and people Public safety and police agencies use various technologies to keep their communities safe. Yet, all these systems and devices are often running independently. Having to retrieve data from different sources and piece together information is not only cumbersome, but it slows emergency response and investigations. These siloed systems and data further limit inter-agency communication and collaboration, leading to huge efficiency losses. Growing cyber threats and privacy concerns From Internet of Things (IoT) devices to new crime-fighting solutions, the use of technology is expanding across cities. With that, so are data security and privacy concerns. Despite continually improving cybersecurity practices, cities can’t always keep up with the sophistication of today’s cybercriminals. Citizens also want greater transparency around how cities use, collect, and manage data. Building public trust and strengthening cybersecurity and privacy efforts remain top of mind. Inefficient evidence management When a crime occurs, investigators often spend a lot of time gathering evidence to build cases. They go from place to place, collecting everything from video footage and 911 call recordings to text messages and audio recordings. If cases go to court, they must also burn DVDs and deliver them to attorneys. The entire process saps resources and slows investigations. Storing and sharing physical copies of evidence also makes it difficult to ensure the evidentiary authenticity and chain of custody. Ongoing personnel shortages Police departments everywhere are struggling to hire and keep officers. According to a recent survey, only 10% of respondents confirmed their police department was fully staffed. As crime evolves and demand for effective policing remains constant, existing officers and public safety teams are trying their best to keep up. However, the pressure on people to do more is heightening stress and burnout in an already demanding line of work. Increased violence toward officers In recent times, violent crime and antipolice rhetoric have been running high. This has caused a rise in aggression towards law enforcement. Though the very nature of police work exposes officers to physical altercations and risks, officer safety remains paramount across agencies. Yet, there’s still a significant opportunity to leverage existing technologies to enhance information sharing, improve officer readiness, and drive safer outcomes. Rigid budget constraints Public safety and law enforcement agencies don’t always have extra room in their budget to make technological enhancements. Even when decisionmakers recognize the benefits of new solutions, long-standing budget rigidity and red-tape approval processes hold them back. Yet these public safety innovations can drive ripple effects in time and cost savings across departments, offering substantial returns on investments over time. What is a real-time crime center? Real-time crime centers (RTCCs) take public safety initiatives to the next level. They act as crime-fighting nerve centers, unifying data streams and operations across city departments. Within these state-of-the-art tech hubs, public safety and law enforcement teams can tap into a central source of real-time information and trending data. Everything from 911 calls and dispatch information to live video, various sensor data can stream onto video walls and monitors for all operators and investigators to see. During an emergency, they can then quickly understand what’s happening and effectively deploy resources to mitigate the situation. During investigations, detectives can dive deep and collect evidence with all relevant data at their fingertips. What’s the outcome? A unified front of public safety technology and resources that help reduce incident response times, improve officer safety, speed up investigations, and enhance data collection across the city landscape. The core of an RTCC and the value of true ‘real-time’ At its core, an RTCC is built on a foundational, frontend solution that offers operators a single interface pane of glass. This is what brings all data from various systems and sensors together and provides public safety teams with real-time situational awareness and support. It does this by analyzing and correlating all incoming information and then pointing officers to the most pressing situations. All relevant video and data is displayed on an interactive city map, allowing for added situational context to make faster, more informed decisions. Here’s an important caveat: not all…