Thursday, December 7, 2023

New Center Will Bring Local, Regional, and Federal Law Enforcement Together to Respond to Criminal Activities in Real Time

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Pamela A. Smith were joined by local and federal law enforcement partners to announce MPD’s new Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC). The RTCC will serve as a new dedicated space that will be staffed 24/7 with local, regional, and federal law enforcement agencies to monitor and respond to criminal activities in real time.

“We are very focused on sending a clear message that if you engage in criminal activity in our city – if you harm people, threaten people, or make our communities less safe – you will be held accountable. The Real-Time Crime Center is part of that focused effort,” said Mayor Bowser. “I want to thank the local, regional, and federal law enforcement agencies that are involved in this effort. Together, through the combined resources and expertise of these partners, we will turn crime trends around and build a safer, stronger DC.”

The RTCC will serve as the nerve center for law enforcement in the District and throughout the region to collect and analyze data, to enhance situational awareness, and facilitate quick decision-making regarding crimes. The RTCC will also improve the overall efficiency of crime prevention and response efforts with law enforcement partners by leveraging their expertise and allowing more information to be shared – in real time – across jurisdictional boundaries. 

“The Real-Time Crime Center represents a step forward for the Metropolitan Police Department in an effort to reduce crime and hold offenders accountable for their actions,” said Chief Smith. “We know that crime in our region is not limited to jurisdictional boundaries and sometimes, those committing crimes use that to their advantage. The RTCC will allow us to leverage our multi-agency partnerships to address crime trends throughout our communities.”

Partners from nine agencies – Amtrak Police, Arlington County Police, U.S. Capitol Police, Fairfax County Police, Metro Transit Police, Montgomery Police, U.S. Park Police, Prince George’s County Police, and the U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division – will work in collaboration with MPD to monitor and analyze data from various sources, including CCTV cameras, emergency calls, and other technology. The DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and the DC Housing Authority Police Department (DCHAPD) will also support the RTCC, along with federal investigative partners at the ATF, FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The RTCC will launch in February of 2024.