IRVINE, CA – Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris secured $2 million in state budget funding for the City of Irvine to develop a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). This will further enable officers, crime analysts, and dispatchers to gather and communicate critical information and effectively capitalize on the expanding range of technologies that increase the apprehension of offenders, prevent crime, promote sustainability, and improve officer safety.
“As one of the safest cities in America, it’s important for the Irvine Police Department to have the best tools and technologies available to prevent crime from occurring in the City of Irvine,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “I’m proud to have secured $2 million in state budget funding to establish a state-of-the-art Real-Time Crime Center that will increase apprehension of criminal suspects, prevent crime, and improve officer safety.”
“The $2 million in funding marks a significant milestone for the City of Irvine as we embark on the development of our Real Time Crime Center,” said Mayor Farrah N Khan. “This investment will enable City staff to gather critical information swiftly, prevent crime, and enhance officer safety. As Mayor of Irvine, I am proud to lead a City that prioritizes the safety of its residents – with the support of Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris – as we take yet another step forward in building a safer and more sustainable Irvine for all."
RTCCs provide first responders with critical information to preserve their own safety as well as address community safety issues related not only to acts of crime, but also missing persons, and quality of life concerns. Analysts commonly use historical agency data, law enforcement and open-source data-sharing platforms, live video feeds, crime series intelligence, and other sources to assist in their real-time analysis. RTCC analysts can view cameras live to provide real-time situational awareness to responding officers and gather investigative leads and/or assist directly with the apprehension of criminal suspects.
A Real Time Crime Center has numerous benefits to law enforcement and community safety. Many law enforcement agencies locally and across the nation have formed or are starting to acquire resources to form RTCCs. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, RTCCs allow law enforcement to capitalize on a range of technology that lead to efficient and effective policing.
In October, the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) awarded grant funding to local law enforcement agencies across California to combat organized retail crime, including $5.4 million for the Irvine Police Department.
In total, the state awarded over $267 million in competitive grants funds to 55 cities and counties across the state to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects. The funding was included in SB 154 (Budget Act of 2022) approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor last year.