According to the Council on Criminal Justice’s 2022 mid-year crime report, violent and non-violent crime rates have seen ups and downs since 2019. Although certain cities, like New York and Chicago, have experienced more dramatic spikes than others, the question remains–how can law enforcement officers prevent crime from occurring in the first place and effectively respond after it does?

The answer–-leverage different types of technology to gain real-time situational awareness. Instead of dedicating multiple officers to patrol hotspots, agencies are realizing technology's critical role in proactive policing. As a result, real-time crime centers (RTCCs) are growing increasingly popular.

Although you probably think of RTCCs as high-tech rooms filled with expensive tv screens, camera footage, and computers, an effective RTCC strategy doesn’t require bells and whistles. In fact, any agency can implement an RTCC regardless of budget or headcount.

Let’s look at how your agency can leverage new and existing technology to build an effective intelligence-based policing strategy that increases officer efficiency and safety.

Remotely Viewed Camera Placement

It might seem obvious, but taking the time to place remotely viewed cameras in strategic locations can produce immediate results. Not only will they help collect evidence in high-crime areas, but they can also serve as a deterrent to criminal acts.

A great way to rapidly increase your camera capability is by partnering with stakeholders that have existing cameras in your area. For example, transportation agencies often deploy traffic monitoring cameras, many of which are under the same umbrella as a police department. By forging these relationships internally and partnering with traffic engineers, law enforcement agencies can quickly spin up an agency-wide camera program.

Additionally, capturing live footage with pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) cameras enables officers to assess multiple locations and situations in real time, which provides them with the situational awareness needed to respond appropriately.

ALPR cameras

Traditional IP-based cameras can be an effective way to monitor locations and deter individuals from committing crimes; however, they often fall flat when it comes to developing leads on vehicles. Because 70 percent of all crime occurs with a vehicle, automatic license plate reading cameras (ALPRs) are an essential investment for any agency

Similar to how livestream cameras can be strategically deployed in high-crime locations, ALPR cameras can be set up in high-traffic areas or known hotspots to single out vehicles associated with ongoing investigations, stolen plates, AMBER Alerts, and other offenses.

When paired together, the traditional IP cameras provide context, while the ALPR cameras deliver the actionable evidence—like license plate information and vehicle details—needed to act upon and close investigations.

Some ALPRs even allow officers to build custom Hot Lists that proactively alert law enforcement if a known suspect is in the area. This feature gives officers a warning that enables them to act before the situation escalates.

In fact, “hot-listing” vehicles associated with recent crimes prior to their entry into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) or similar state-sponsored database has also proven an extremely effective tactic.

Integrate privately-owned cameras into your toolkit

With many agencies facing tight budget constraints and low resources, it has become vital for law enforcement to partner with the community. Fortunately, over the past few years, private homeowners, apartment renters, and businesses have been seeking ways to cut down on crime in their areas.

For many of these communities, the solution resided in the implementation of residential security cameras, and the recent boom in these devices has been incredibly beneficial to law enforcement agencies.

Countless neighborhoods and commercial properties struggle to afford a security monitoring service that can watch over their cameras on a 24/7 basis. This issue, coupled with the hurdles associated with transferring the footage to law enforcement when a crime occurs, causes unnecessary slow-downs and impedes a speedy investigation.

However, by partnering with the community and gaining access to their cameras, you can cut out the middleman for residents while simultaneously adding free cameras to your toolkit.

Layer your technology

Law enforcement agencies must use every resource available to them to slow rising crime trends. Through layering new and existing technology in a centralized hub, your team can obtain the intelligence needed to implement a successful technology-based strategy.

Streamlined systems like the Flock Safety WING™, make this concept accessible for any agency. The unique Live Video Integration Package consolidates an agency’s suite of technology into a single dashboard that helps them achieve the real-time intelligence needed to boost situational awareness, increase officer safety, and enhance investigative efficiency.

Visit www.flocksafety.com to learn how you can start using the LVI Package for free.