'Nerve center': Real-Time Crime Center helps solves cases in hours instead of days

Time is precious when fighting crime.

Sworn officers and analysts huddle together around the clock, keeping a close eye on the streets of the capital city and Leon County from inside the dimly lit chambers of their very own Justice League headquarters.

Complete with live camera footage from more than 1,000 cameras, an active calls-to-service map and continuous data collection from FSU researchers and students, Tallahassee's Capital Region Real-Time Crime Center is equipped to solve crime in ways Tallahassee hasn't in years before.

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said he hopes the new center, designed to help detectives solve cases in a matter of hours rather than days, will act as a deterrent to criminals.

"We want to send a message to those who wish to commit crimes in our community," Revell said. "We will find you, and you will be held accountable."

On Friday, Revell joined Sheriff Walt McNeil and officials from Florida State University to cut the ribbon and officially open the Real-Time Crime Center, which began operating in February. Housed inside FSU's Sliger Building at Innovation Park, the center not only gives officers in the field vital intelligence as crimes are unfolding but also includes a research component that sets it apart from other centers elsewhere, officials said.

The center is a collaboration between the the Leon County Sheriff's Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FSU Police Department and FSU's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. It utilizes technology like cameras and license plate readers to identify suspects faster and helps keep lines of communication open among agencies.

Analysts are constantly monitoring calls to service and immediately begin gathering information on 911 callers and potential suspects while officers work the scene, said Leslie Rabon, director of the Real-Time Crime Center. In total, the center has 14 analysts who rotate shifts.

"This is a nerve center where we can give actionable information and intelligence and officer safety information to officers and deputies out in the field," Rabon said in a news release. "In this area, we have so many people who come in and out of our jurisdiction. Having everyone in one center together where we can share this very important information is critical because we can keep our officers safer and solve crimes faster."

The crime center has already played a vital role in several high-profile shootings and homicides, including an incident at Tom Brown Park in which a woman opened fire on police, prompting them to return fatal fire, a shooting at the McDonald's on Pensacola Street and the identification of a murder suspect from Tennessee.

It comes online in earnest at the same time that the city grapples with a summer surge of violence and bloodshed. Since June, the city has endured three separate double homicides and three murders in a single 24-hour span.

So far in 2023, 19 people have died – 14 of them since June – and at least 53 have been injured, according to a Tallahassee Democrat analysis of gun violence.

McNeil called the crime center one of the "most important milestones" for local law enforcement over the past decade.

"To believe you're going to be successful in fighting crime, it must be a united effort," the sheriff said. "All of us united for one cause, one purpose."

The center began operating with initial funding of $2 million from FSU. LCSO, TPD and FSU are equally splitting on-going operational costs; officials could not immediately provide a number on the annual cost.

Law enforcement from Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College are also in communication with the other agencies but are waiting for funds and manpower to become available before officially partnering, Revell said.

The center also encourages collaboration with the community. Businesses and homeowners can link their security cameras to the command center, allowing officers access to live footage at that establishment.

Because the center partners with Ring doorbells, people who have Ring cameras at home are able to send the center their footage straight from their app, Rabon said. Police agencies don't have to ability to tap into someone's camera on demand, but the app has a portal that enables customers to share footage if they want.

FSU students and researchers will provide officials with ongoing research and evaluations of whether crime reduction strategies are achieving desired outcomes, said Thomas Blomberg, a professor and director of research at the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

"We translate (research) into policies and practices," Blomberg said.

Research from the crime center will be available to help shape criminal justice policy in Tallahassee and communities across the country, officials said. Rhonda Harris, FSU police chief and assistant vice president for public safety, called it a "new model."

"I think this real-time crime center is going to change the ones that are out there now," she said.

Blomberg added that the Real-Time Crime Center is a great way for students to get invaluable hands-on experience in their field.

"They're partners in making a difference," Bloomberg said.

Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on Twitter @elenabarreraaa.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Real-Time Crime Center officially on the case