Real Time Crime Centers: Turning Data Into Action

Police departments have access to more information than ever before. Cameras, license plate readers, dispatch systems, records databases, and other technologies can generate large volumes of information within seconds. This growth in big data creates new possibilities for connecting information and supporting police operations in real time. It also raises a practical challenge: how can agencies identify the information that matters and get it to the right officer at the right time?

Real Time Crime Centers (RTCCs) are designed around this challenge.

An RTCC brings together technology and personnel to provide timely intelligence during active calls and investigations. Operators may review nearby camera footage, check license plate data, search records, identify relevant information about people or vehicles, and communicate findings directly to officers in the field.

This creates a different model for using police information. Instead of waiting for an incident to conclude before analysts begin examining the available data, RTCC personnel can contribute while an event is still unfolding.

But speed alone does not demonstrate effectiveness.

An RTCC requires decisions about staffing, technology, operating hours, information sharing, and the division of responsibilities between real-time operators and crime analysts. Agencies also need policies governing sensitive information, video and data retention, privacy, and the use of emerging technologies.

Most importantly, agencies need ways to determine whether these investments are producing meaningful results.

Measures such as response and resolution times, officer support, cases assisted by RTCC personnel, technology usage, and changes in crime patterns can provide a starting point. Cost-benefit analysis can also help agencies understand whether the resources required to operate an RTCC correspond with measurable outcomes.

For researchers, this creates an opportunity to move the conversation beyond the capabilities of the technology. The central issue is how these systems function in practice and whether faster access to information translates into better policing outcomes.

At AREAS, this type of evaluation helps connect emerging technology with evidence, giving agencies a clearer basis for understanding what works, where it works, and why.