We’ve come a long way in the 21 years since the New York City Police Department launched what many consider the first modern Real-Time Crime Center.
Back then, we had a problem. Actually, we had quite a few problems. One of the biggest was technology, but more specifically, it was data trapped in different silos. Information existed throughout the organization, but it lived in separate systems that didn’t always talk to one another. Investigators and officers often had to search multiple databases to piece together information that should have been available much faster.
The data was there. The challenge was finding it, connecting it and turning it into actionable intelligence when time mattered most.
At the time, the NYPD Real-Time Crime Center brought together approximately 35 different data sources into a single operational environment. Looking back, that may sound simple. It wasn’t. It was groundbreaking. More importantly, it changed how investigations and critical incidents were supported.
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When I first walked into the Real-Time Crime Center in 2016, I thought I understood what the unit did. Within my first month, I realized how much I didn’t know. I was blown away by the talent inside that room. The detectives and investigators looked at incidents differently. They saw connections others missed. They understood how to leverage technology to support investigations in ways I hadn’t seen before. I learned something new almost every day.
One question kept coming into my head: If this works so well, why isn’t everyone doing it? Today, many agencies are asking that same question.
Real-time policing has grown far beyond the original RTCC model. What started as Real-Time Crime Centers has expanded into Real-Time Operations Centers, fusion centers, emergency communications centers, GSOCs and CSOCs. The names may be different, but the mission is often the same: get the right information to the right people as quickly as possible.
After more than two decades of watching this work evolve, here are eight lessons police leaders should understand before launching or expanding a real-time policing program.
1. No two Real-Time Crime Centers are the same
This is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned: no two Real-Time Crime Centers are the same. Every agency has different challenges, staffing levels, budgets, crime problems, geography, leadership and workflows. The biggest mistake leaders can make is trying to copy another agency exactly.
Learn from others. Visit other centers. Ask questions. Take ideas. But build a program that works for your organization.
What works in one city may not work in another. What works for a large agency with a 24/7 center may not work for a smaller department just starting out. That doesn’t mean smaller agencies should stay on the sidelines. It means they need to be honest about their problems, their resources and their goals.
The model should serve the agency. The agency should not be forced into someone else’s model.
2. Workflow matters more than technology
Technology is important. Very important. But workflow matters more. You can buy the best cameras, software, analytics platforms and computers available. If you don’t have the right workflows, policies, training and personnel in place, the technology will never reach its full potential. Technology supports the mission. Workflow drives it.
Too many agencies focus on the technology and not enough on how the technology will actually be used. Before building a Real-Time Crime Center, leaders need to understand how information will move, who will review it, how it will be verified, how it will be shared and how it will support officers and investigators in the field.
Learn the technology. Understand the workflow. Know how the systems work together. Ask questions. Challenge vendors. Build policies. Build processes. Don’t start with the product. Start with the problem.
3. Success has to be defined before the purchase
People ask me all the time: How do you measure success? For me, success was never about a dashboard metric. Success was having the technology in place when you needed it most.
Before purchasing any technology, I strongly recommend a proof of concept. Make sure it fits your workflow and operational needs. Not every technology works for every agency. There are a lot of good technologies in public safety today. There are also a lot of strong opinions. Just because one agency loves a particular technology doesn’t mean it’s right for yours.
Over the past several years, we’ve seen tremendous growth in Drone as First Responder programs, license plate readers, commercial data sources and Next Generation 911 capabilities. We’ve also seen how critical 911 information and CAD systems remain to real-time operations. In many cases, that’s where everything starts. The goal isn’t to buy technology because everyone else is buying it. The goal is to solve a problem.
Keep track of your wins. Show executive leadership how technology is being used. Show the results. Show the value. If you can’t explain why you’re using a technology, you probably shouldn’t be buying it.
4. Staffing challenges begin long before someone leaves
Building a Real-Time Crime Center today is easier than it was 20 years ago. There are established models, experienced leaders, professional organizations and agencies willing to help. Organizations like the National Real-Time Crime Center Association and countless practitioners across the country are willing to share lessons learned and help agencies get started.
But staffing still requires constant attention, especially in a 24/7 operation. Promotions, transfers and retirements are inevitable. Leaders should be sitting down with personnel regularly and understanding what their plans are over the next several years. Staffing challenges don’t begin when someone leaves. They begin when leaders fail to plan for the loss of experience before it happens.
One of the most effective staffing models I’ve seen combines experienced sworn personnel with talented civilian analysts. Both groups bring different strengths. Together, they make each other better. I’ve also seen agencies successfully bring retired personnel back in limited-hour capacities. Even 20 or 30 hours a week can help preserve institutional knowledge and fill critical gaps.
5. Transparency cannot be an afterthought
Many Real-Time Crime Centers started as confidential units operating behind the scenes. Some still do. But technology is no longer something the public ignores. Communities want to understand how technology is being used and what safeguards are in place.
One of the best ways to build trust is through transparency. If your agency uses license plate readers, explain how they’re being used. Explain retention periods. Explain policies. Put the information on your website. Make it accessible. There’s no secret sauce here. The more transparent agencies are, the more confidence they build.
Community meetings are also opportunities for engagement. When questions arise about technology, it helps to have someone from the Real-Time Crime Center present who understands the systems, policies and operational uses.
6. Policy and training have to grow together
If you’re evaluating technology through a proof-of-concept or proof-of-value process, policy discussions should begin immediately.Bring legal into the conversation early. We may think we’re lawyers sometimes, but we’re not. Tell legal what you’re trying to accomplish and let them help build the framework. Once policies are established, make sure everyone understands them and understands where the boundaries are.
Training should never be treated as an afterthought. While some training can be conducted virtually, I still believe in the value of in-person instruction. Every time we conducted training in the Real-Time Crime Center, I learned something new. Good training creates discussion, generates ideas and helps personnel discover capabilities they didn’t know existed.
I also believe technology companies should be invested in the success of their customers. If a company isn’t willing to show up and train your people, that should tell you something.
7. Every successful RTCC needs a champion
If there’s one lesson I would leave leaders with, it’s this: every successful Real-Time Crime Center needs a champion. Not someone who signs the purchase order. Not someone who shows up for the ribbon cutting. A champion. A chief, sheriff or senior executive who believes in the mission, understands the value and is willing to support the program when challenges arise.
These programs require funding, staffing, technology investments, policy development and constant evolution. Without executive support, many programs struggle to reach their full potential.
Throughout my career, I was fortunate to have leaders above my rank who trusted me. That trust mattered. It allowed us to innovate, solve problems and continue moving forward.
8. Culture determines whether the mission lasts
Someone recently said something to me that stuck with me: “It’s the same objective and the same workflow, just different people.” It’s true. The mission stays the same. The people change.
That’s why culture matters. The people entering these units have to believe in the mission. Leaders have to reinforce that belief. They have to celebrate wins. They have to recognize good work. They have to remind people why the mission matters.
At its core, a Real-Time Crime Center isn’t about technology. It’s about getting the right information to the right people at the right time so they can make better decisions. That mission hasn’t changed in 21 years. And it shouldn’t change now.
