Co. Springs Police launch new “Real Time Crime Center”, connecting cameras and data in seconds
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is adding a new set of eyes to their enforcement efforts in the city, through the launch of their Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC).
CSPD joins other Colorado cities like Pueblo and Denver in the deployment of their RTCC. It's a specialized unit in the department that consists of an analyst and detectives who support officers responding to calls for service and other investigations by providing them with real-time information.
The data is collected from department records, law enforcement databases, and other integrated technologies. They say access to this type of information increases officers' efficiency while out in the field.
The RTCC operates using a technology platform called Fusus. Fusus is a map-based integration tool that combines private and public video streams, camera locations, law enforcement data, floor plans, live positions of first responders, live drone footage, and more.
All of that information is provided to the RTCC personnel and is then distributed to the responding officer or detective as needed. CSPD says what used to take hours or even days to do can now happen in a matter of minutes.
CSPD says that the community can also play a part in the RTCC, through a program called Together COS. It consists of two parts: Camera Registration and Camera Integration.
Through the Camera Registration option, community members can sign up with Fusus to let CSPD know they have personal security cameras at their home or business. By informing CSPD that you have cameras, it is easier for officers to conduct follow-up investigations in a neighborhood where a crime occurred by contacting those who have cameras.
An officer or detective can email everyone in the vicinity of the crime asking those to search their video for suspicious activity. Users can then upload the video directly to the link provided by the detective. Providing video is completely voluntary and registering your camera does not give CSPD open access to your cameras or video.
The second option, Camera Integration, is designed primarily for businesses in the city. A business can purchase a Fusus core that will integrate its security cameras with CSPD. That way if a serious crime occurs, detectives will have instant access to review the video camera recordings and will be able to download the video for their investigation.
During some of the most serious crimes, like an active shooter situation, the police department will be able to live stream the cameras to help identify and locate any potential suspects.
One other aspect of the RTCC is the use of drones as first responders. The new program allows for a drone to be dispatched to certain types of calls in order to gain more information for possible responding officers soon after.
The drone will help those in the dispatch center know the scope of what is needed for an emergency response and can communicate that information to responding officers.
Dispatchers can also determine information that may be available about victim or suspect locations, and even cancel a call for service before an officer arrives if an emergency is not actually taking place.
By using drones to gather more information, patrol resources can be dispatched more efficiently to the most emergent of calls within our community, lowering response times and increasing safety.
