Real-time crime center in the cloud: the next generation of police technology

The first Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) opened in New York in 2005. Originally conceived as a data analysis hub to discover crime trends, the first RTCCs were innovative research tools for police analysts.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the next generation of Real-Time Crime Centers are here- and they have evolved from analytical tools into real-time situational awareness platforms.

The absolute leading-edge of this technology is the Real-Time Crime Center in the Cloud. Axon Fusus offers numerous benefits over prior generations of Real-Time Crime Center technology, acting as a centralized video, data and sensor hub that reduces criminal activity, speeds investigations, and keeps officers, members of the public, and businesses safer.

Already in service in cities like New York, Minneapolis, Miami and Cleveland, this new cloud-based crime mitigation platform is the first of its kind, offering the ability to capitalize on a wide and expanding range of technologies for efficient and effective policing.

Traditional RTCC platforms tend to be hardware intensive, closed-loop solutions. They utilize proprietary hardware and software that often creates silos or depend on a patchwork of technology partners to function. These RTCC platforms have been useful, but they are also fragmented and difficult to properly utilize.

They usually work well as analytics tools, but tend to fall short when integrating with multiple real-time feeds from a variety of sources. This is one of the pitfalls of proprietary systems that don’t play well with each other.

In contrast, the next generation Fusus platform combines an open software hub that pulls in video and data feeds from a variety of sources, easily deployable hardware that eases the integration of real-time feeds, and applications that make video and data accessible to officers in the field.

In essence, it’s a true real-time incident management platform that is valuable in situations ranging from everyday policing applications, to SWAT operations and major event security.

For instance, if a police department is conducting an operation that involves a UAV, traffic cameras, and video-tips from the public, all of these feeds should be accessible within a single interface, in real-time, and in a logical format that treats all these feeds as a part of a single incident.

With older platforms, all of these pieces of information would come in on separate screens, and then have to pieced together by analysts.

That’s where the new platform shines- it seamlessly pulls together disparate video and data elements and enables real-time crime center personnel to utilize them to mitigate crime as it happens, as well as relaying the necessary information to first-responders in the field.

One of the key factors that sets the platform ahead of previous generations of Real-Time Crime Center software lies in the the cloud. Installing a cloud-based platform is fast and easy, and is much more plug-and-play than doing a full-scale technology overhaul.

Instead, the cloud-based platform can be accessed from any internet connected device, and in turn, can pull in feeds from connected cameras and sensors such as public and private video, cell phones, gunfire detectors, UAVs, robots and more.

The essentially open nature of Fusus also means that pre-existing technology such as cameras and other hardware can be connected to the new platform, which is a major cost-saver.

Plus, a cloud platform is never out-of-date. Software updates and new functionality can constantly be pushed over-the-air, keeping the platform ahead of the curve.

With an eye to the future of policing, here are 10 key capabilities the Real-Time Crime Center in the cloud offers law enforcement agencies:

10 key capabilities of the Real-Time Crime Center in the cloud

Streamlined Incident Management Interface:
With the amount of video and data feeds available through the new real-time crime center platform, organization and streamlined workflows are paramount.

The Fusus platform follows a logical workflow that enables Real-Time Crime Center personnel to launch incidents directly from the CAD feed, view them on a map, and activate various data and video assets surrounding the incident either automatically or manually.

This includes public tips, the real-time locations of responding units, and dynamic video feeds from other sources.

Private security camera registration:
Knowing the locations of all the security cameras in a city or precinct greatly speeds up investigations. Instead of having officers canvass the area around an incident on foot, a comprehensive database of all private and public cameras rendered on an interactive map, with direct access to camera owner contact information and an electronic evidence drop-box is a must-have.

The Fusus platform addresses this with the inclusion of a secure CJIS compliant digital evidence vault with audit trails, that can be used to store incident video files, as well as export them to a DEMS system like Axon Evidence.

Unified city and private camera feeds:
Unified camera streams from all city, police, transit, traffic and private camera systems accessible within a single interface is a major force-multiplier for law enforcement agencies.

Private camera streams can be continuous or only on emergency alert. The Fusus platform renders these feeds on a map interface with the ability to view multiple camera streams.

Easy hardware integration:
Fusus solved hardware integration problems by developing the CORE device. This small digital box eliminates the need for new cameras, DVRs and expensive switches, by simply plugging into the existing hardware and automatically establishing a separate secure tunnel to the platform.

This is an important capability, as it (a) Drastically reduces setup time and cost, and (b) Vastly increase the number of feeds accessible to a law enforcement agency, including from residents and businesses.

Integrated gunfire detectors and license plate readers:
Integrating gunfire detectors like ShotSpotter, and/or Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) with your camera system creates efficient workflows in an emergency operations center, and increases the utility of the detectors.

Alerts can be triggered and cameras set to automatically activate around a pre-defined perimeter of detected gunfire or license plates on the hotlist, providing enhanced visibility.

Video from dynamic sources (UAVs, robots, aircraft):
Pulling in video streams from dynamic video sources like drones, robots and police aircraft has always been a challenge, and usually requires multiple screens.

The Fusus platform quickly and easily enables dynamic source feeds to be viewed alongside other cameras and data on the unified map interface. This functionality is especially useful for SWAT operations and major event security.

Access to floor plans:
Embedded floor plans is another extremely helpful feature of a cloud-based Real-Time Crime Center. By uploading floor plans and other schematics into the map interface, an emergency operations center can be prepared to direct and coordinate personnel responding to an unfolding incident.

CAD integration:
Seamless 911 & Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) integration is one of the key benefits of the platform - it pulls together disparate camera and sensor feeds, and unites them with a variety of dispatch software systems.

When a CAD call comes in, cameras around the call as well as the positions of responding units can all be called up directly from the CAD call, increasing situational awareness and creating a common operating picture for all responding units to that specific incident.

Officer geolocation and communications:
The platform comes with an exclusive officer OPS app that enables geolocation on the map, two-way photo and text sharing, access to camera feeds, and a host of other functionality that puts the power of an Real-Time Crime Center right on their iOS or Android device. The app also enables the command staff at the RTCC to effectively direct resources in the field.

Multi-media public tips:
One of the new capabilities within the platform is a frictionless multi-media public text tips functionality to report criminal activity. Members of the public can send text messages, photos and videos directly to a designated TIPS number to report suspicious or criminal activity they witness, without needing a specific app or email account to do so.

Which capabilities are right for your agency?

Of course, the needs of every department vary, and the actual implementation of an RTCC may be very different depending on the resources available, the size of the community being served, the rate of crime in that community, the types of large-scale events typically held in that location, and a host of other factors.

The Fusus platform is scalable to meet the needs of any size of department or community, from large federal agencies to small rural communities, and is able to configured and scaled as new resources and technologies become available.

There are also a number of local and federal grants currently available to police departments and other law enforcement agencies who are seeking to establish a Real-Time Crime Center or Emergency Operations Center.

To learn more about building your own real-time crime center, check out our Ultimate Guide to Real-Time Crime Centers.