The Colorado Springs Police Department is proud to announce the launch of a new Real-Time Crime Center! The Real-Time Crime Center is a specialized CSPD unit, staffed by an analyst and detectives, which supports officers and detectives responding to calls for service and other investigations by providing them with real-time information. This information comes from department records, law enforcement databases, and other integrated technologies. This increased access to immediate information increases officer safety, community member safety, and investigative efficiency.
To make the Real-Time Crime Center operational, CSPD utilizes 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 this information is then provided to the RTCC personnel and distributed to the responding officer or detective as needed, enabling for greater situational awareness and a common operating picture. What used to take hours or even days to do, now can happen in a matter of minutes.
While the RTCC is a CSPD-run program, there is a community involvement piece called Together COS. Together COS has two parts – camera registration and camera integration. Each part allows individuals and businesses across our community to share information with CSPD in various ways, to aid in making our community as safe as possible.
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.
Camera integration is the second option and is designed primarily for businesses in the community. Through camera integration, a business can purchase a Fusus core that will integrate security cameras with CSPD. If a serious crime occurs, detectives will have instant access to review the video camera recordings. They will be able to download the video to use in 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.
The final portion of the RTCC is the drones as first responders program. This new program allows for a drone to be dispatched to certain types of calls in order to gain more information for possible responding officers. The information gathered by the drone will help dispatchers in the public safety communication center know the size of emergency response that is needed and communicate that information to responding officers. Dispatchers can also relay any information that may be available about victim or suspect locations, or even cancel a call before an officer arrives if an emergency is not taking place. By utilizing 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.
The Colorado Springs Police Department is proud of this new and innovative program, allowing for greater response efficiency and a safer community. To learn more about the Together COS program, please visit https://coloradosprings.gov/together-cos.