San Francisco Police: Surveillance Hub Helps Crime Drop 20%

Tucked away in the bowels of San Francisco's Hall of Justice lies a crime-fighting nerve center bringing the city's police force into the age of changing technology. The San Francisco Police Department said its new Real Time Investigation Center (RTIC) has assisted in more than 500 arrests since its launch, with officials pointing to the facility as a game-changer in reducing crime across the city, CBS News reports. "This technology is the future of policing for SFPD officers, using their training and judgment supported by the best tools available to keep our communities safe as we continue to fully staff the RTIC and using drones and first responders will be a force multiplier," said Mayor Daniel Lurie. "It will give officers more support, and it will help ensure that every neighborhood benefits from smarter, faster and more coordinated public safety." RTIC is a 24/7 operations center where teams of analysts monitor live surveillance feeds, license plate readers, and drone footage to guide officers on the ground in real time. The police department says the integration of technology is leading to more efficient response times, less paperwork, and a drop in crime.

"We're seeing it happen every day," said Captain Thomas Maguire, who oversees the RTIC. "Every week, we're coming up with success stories. We're watching crime drop in the city, and it's been good." It's tucked away in a 1960s-era, cement building that isn't known for its technological innovation. Often, it's hard to get cell service. Maguire acknowledged the irony of its placement. "The Hall of Justice. Never thought we'd call it the center of technology here, but that's what we're here for today," he said. Even so, it appears to be enough for the task. Police Chief Bill Scott credited the center, and the technology, with a 20% drop in crime from January through early April, compared to the same period last year, including one of the steepest drops in car theft which is down 42% this year. "In the last year — the last three months — we've had more technological advancements than we've seen in decades," he said. "We have been arresting people that have been prolific, people that have really damaged our city and damaged our retail spaces, damaged our reputation, made people feel unsafe," Scott added. "Those are the people that these officers, these investigators, these analysts, and the collaborative effort of RTIC is put together to address is getting people who harm other people our city off the streets, and I think they have done a fantastic job in doing that." The deployment of the technology was made possible after voters approved Proposition E in 2024, expanding the department's authority to use emerging technologies such as drones and license plate reading systems. Privacy advocates, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warn that such surveillance methods could quickly spiral into privacy violations.