SEATTLE — City officials say a new crime-fighting initiative centered at Seattle Police Department headquarters is already showing results, with Mayor Bruce Harrell and Police Chief Shon Barnes announcing the city’s real time crime center has supported over 600 incidents and is aiding 90 ongoing investigations since its launch in May, according to a press release.
The RTCC went operational on May 20 and is part of a larger crime prevention technology pilot approved in the city’s 2025–2026 budget. The RTCC combines video and data from multiple sources, including newly installed closed-circuit cameras and automated license plate readers (ALPRs), to provide real-time support to officers and detectives.
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“Our real time crime center is already proving to be a vital tool in solving crimes and improving public safety across the city, supporting hundreds of investigations and accountability for dangerous offenders,” Harrell said.
The center currently operates daily from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., with plans to expand to 24/7 in 2026. RTCC analysts can relay live updates, suspect images and other critical details to patrol units, helping guide response and investigative efforts. Officials highlighted a recent example in which analysts used CCTV footage during a shooting near Aurora Avenue North to track a suspect’s movements and assist officers in the field.
The RTCC is part of a broader initiative to improve public safety citywide. Recent installations of CCTV cameras in areas such as Aurora Avenue, the downtown Third Avenue corridor and the Chinatown-International District are now linked to the RTCC, as are ALPR systems in patrol vehicles that alert officers to stolen or flagged vehicles.
In conjunction with the RTCC rollout, Harrell has introduced legislation to expand camera coverage in public areas around schools, nightlife zones and major intersections. The measure would also authorize RTCC access to select traffic cameras operated by the Seattle Department of Transportation.
The technology pilot has been paired with a public engagement process, including citywide meetings, neighborhood forums and feedback from advocacy groups. The Office of Inspector General has commissioned independent researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab to evaluate the RTCC, its associated technologies and their use by police.
“The teal time crime center … reinforces our precision policing model: respond quickly, investigate thoroughly, identify correctly, arrest safely, prosecute successfully,” SPD Captain James Britt said. “We are also conscious of the privacy concerns that technology can raise, especially in policing. Our team is reminded at all times that we must use these systems responsibly.”
