San Jose police said Monday the department is stepping up its ability to assess crimes and respond in real time with the help of a new intelligence center.
The department's Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC) combines some resources already in use with new technologies designed to speed up response and investigations. Police said strategic, tactical and forensic analysts monitor hundreds of city-owned cameras and other resources and provide information to officers in the field in real time.
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WATCH HERE"Just last week RTIC was able to assist with an active burglary investigation in tracking a suspect throughout the city using Fusus-enabled public safety cameras," police Chief Paul Joseph said. "RTIC analysts collected enough evidence for the detectives to obtain a warrant and subsequently arrest the suspect."
By utilizing the software platform Peregine, police said investigations will be faster and more efficient.
"For example, if there’s a vehicle or a suspect that is identified in a live or historical video feed, looking through body camera video from prior investigations or prior calls for service and investigations to really connect the dots between all of these underlying systems is where the RTIC we expect to become very powerful," Peregrine Technologies CEO Nick Noone said.
RTIC is using cutting edge technologies such as Axon Fusus, which provides immediate access to the city-owned cameras.
But now through a program called Connect San Jose, police are asking citizens and businesses with security cameras to join their network.
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Jeff Levine, who has a network of cameras at home, said he’ll join, but he's cautious since there is a cost for the special equipment needed.
"Everybody’s got cameras," he said. "If you’re out in public doing something bad, you’re gonna be caught on some camera. So this is a chance for private citizens like myself to loop in the police department under their rules and guidelines and everything to help them protect us."
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SIGN UP The department said it's also focused on protecting the privacy of those who get involved in the program. The city has previously taken steps to address overall privacy questions, including a policy to delete data that is not relevant to any investigation.
