SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco has unveiled a new research center that will help law enforcement agencies work with other agencies to fight crime.
The Real-Time Investigation Center is also known as R-TIC. At the center, SFPD investigators have access to 400 license plate reader cameras and more than 60 drones to fight crime.
“Our growing network of cameras that are part of our public and private partnerships, providing valuable evidence to solve crime and catch suspects in real time”
During the press conference, investigators actively sent officers to the city streets and worked with law enforcement in the East Bay to make an arrest in a murder case.
‘Criminals, people who commit crimes. We catch them faster,” said SFPD Commander Thomas Maguire.
On the ground, license plate reader cameras ping all license plates associated with criminal activity, then the SFPD deploys drones to track those vehicles, giving officers the time and precise locations to respond.
“Having information from one source is key to coordinating responses. When we’re responding to a crime in progress, when we’re investigating something,” San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said.
The fire brigade also uses this center to fight fires and prepare for natural disasters.
“Should we have an earthquake. We can send one of our members to this location and they can review the videos using the drones and determine if our streets are passable,” said SF Fire Chief Dean Crispen.
Getting access to that data is also critical.
“Law enforcement often has many different systems. Many different places where information can be. They need that information at their fingertips. Peregrine glues all of these systems together and puts it in one place,” said Tim Shriver, head of state and local government Peregrine Technologies.
Since its opening in August, work at this center has led to at least 800 arrests.
“This center and the work of our officers are showing real results. Catching and deterring criminals. Violent crime is at a low not seen since the 1950s,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie.
This year, the Board of Supervisors accepted a $9.4 million donation from crypto billionaire Chris Larsen to help SFPD move their center from the Hall of Justice to the heart of downtown, where everything has now been upgraded.
“This could actually be a national role model for how to use these technologies properly,” said Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple.
License plate reader cameras are essential to this operation. We spoke with Flock safety, the manufacturer of these cameras, about privacy issues.
“How will that be addressed?” asked ABC7 News reporter Luz Pena.
“If you are not involved in a crime, you don’t have to worry about your privacy,” says Lily Ho, Public Affairs for Flock Safety.
Flock Safety said the only time a center officer would use the license plate reader cameras is to investigate a crime. The SFPD also confirmed that the department is not flying drones over the city to see if anything is happening; they are deployed during active incidents.
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