PHOENIX — Real-time crime center supervisors must manage far more than technology. They lead analysts and operators, coordinate with dispatch and patrol, manage command staff expectations, and ensure the information leaving the center is accurate and actionable.
During a first-time supervisor session at this year’s National Real Time Crime Center Association (NRTCCA) conference, leaders from four Arizona agencies shared lessons for people taking on that responsibility.
The panel featured Lt. James Hernandez of the Goodyear Police Department; Sgt. Michael Lesher of the Peoria Police Department; Darlene Cook of the Scottsdale Police Department; and Shawn Watson of the Tempe Police Department. Sgt. Jeff Tobey of the Phoenix Police Department’s Real Time Operations Center moderated the discussion.
The panel’s recommendations can be distilled into eight priorities for new RTCC supervisors.
1. Hire curious problem-solvers
RTCC work requires people who will keep searching when the first camera, database or information source does not provide an answer.
The panel described the ideal operator as humble, motivated, curious and able to work well with others. Technical aptitude matters, but so do common sense, communication skills and a willingness to take responsibility for decisions.
Because RTCC teams are often small, one employee’s attitude can quickly affect the entire operation. Supervisors should be involved in selecting personnel and should establish performance and conduct expectations before a new employee enters the center.
2. Treat first responders as customers
An RTCC exists to make the work of officers, dispatchers and investigators safer and more efficient. Supervisors should reinforce that service mentality with every member of the team.
That means anticipating what field personnel may need, clearly communicating what the center knows and continuing to search for relevant information while an incident develops.
Credibility is essential. If an identification or vehicle match is uncertain, operators should say so. One confidently delivered piece of incorrect information can damage trust in the center long after the incident ends.
3. Create a culture of honest communication
Supervisors need an environment where employees can raise concerns, acknowledge mistakes and discuss workload without assuming every conversation will become punitive.
Open communication helps supervisors recognize problems early enough to address them. It also allows the team to provide constructive feedback about policies, technology and workflows that may look effective on paper but do not function as intended during operations.
That openness must be paired with consistency. Supervisors cannot ignore poor performance one day and enforce the same expectation the next. Employees need to know what the standards are and see them applied fairly.
4. Manage expectations in both directions
Command staff may see sophisticated technology and assume a new RTCC can immediately provide every capability available in a mature, fully staffed center.
The supervisor’s role includes explaining what the center can currently accomplish, what it cannot and what would be required to expand its capabilities.
Rather than simply rejecting a request, supervisors should return with a pathway forward: the personnel, training, technology or time needed to deliver it. That turns a limitation into a planning decision.
The same expectation-setting must occur with personnel in the field. Officers need to understand what the RTCC can provide and what information still requires verification before enforcement action is taken.
5. Establish communication procedures before an incident
A critical incident is not the time to decide how the RTCC will communicate with dispatch, patrol or a neighboring agency.
Supervisors should determine in advance:
- Who can transmit information over the radio
- What should be entered into CAD
- How urgent information will be elevated
- Which details field personnel must independently verify
- How information will be shared across jurisdictions
- Who makes the final operational decision
After an unusual incident, conduct a debrief and turn what the team learned into a documented workflow. New situations will continue to expose gaps; the goal is to avoid encountering the same gap twice.
6. Build structured, documented training
Training should cover more than individual technology platforms. Operators need to understand jurisdictional boundaries, radio procedures, call types, agency terminology, applicable policies and the limits of their authority.
Employees hired from outside public safety may require additional instruction in how calls develop and how officers use information in the field.
The panel recommended structured training periods that combine observation, guided practice and independent performance. Scenario-based exercises can test whether employees can combine multiple systems and make sound decisions under pressure.
Supervisors should document competencies, progress and remedial training rather than relying on informal observation alone.
7. Invest in relationships
Strong relationships with dispatch, patrol, investigations and nearby RTCCs allow information to move faster when it matters.
Cross-training and observational visits can help employees understand what adjacent units do and prevent fears that the RTCC is attempting to replace or control them.
Regional working groups, shared communication channels and routine conversations among centers also give supervisors access to policies, training models and workflows that have already been tested elsewhere.
New supervisors do not need to solve every problem alone. One of their most valuable resources may be another RTCC leader who encountered the same issue a year earlier.
8. Measure value, plan for growth and protect employees
RTCC metrics should capture both successful outcomes and the work required to produce them. Calls supported, leads developed, evidence located and patrol responses avoided may all help demonstrate value.
Supervisors should also account for less visible work, including records requests, documentation and other mandatory tasks that consume personnel time.
Success often creates demand for longer operating hours, additional services and more employees. Centers should begin with a sustainable model while planning physical space, policies and training for future growth.
That planning must include wellness. RTCC employees may repeatedly view shootings, fatal crashes and other traumatic events through live or recorded video. Supervisors should limit unnecessary exposure, conduct check-ins after critical incidents and connect personnel with peer support or professional wellness resources.
Prior to joining Lexipol in 2017, Nancy served as an editor for emergency medical services publications and communities for 22 years, during which she received a Jesse H. Neal award. In 2022, she was honored with the prestigious G.D. Crain Award at the annual Jesse H. Neal Awards Ceremony. She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex in England and a master’s degree in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. Ask questions or submit ideas to Nancy by e-mailing nperry@lexipol.com.