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San Francisco Police Unveil Fully Operational Real‑Time Investigation Center

The Financial District hub fuses camera, license‑plate and drone feeds to speed arrests.

Overview

  • The state‑of‑the‑art RTIC at 315 Montgomery St., funded in part by a $9.4 million donation from Chris Larsen, consolidates live safety cameras, automated license‑plate readers and drone video through systems from Flock Safety and Peregrine Technologies.
  • Officials report at least 800 arrests linked to the center since its launch, with Mayor Daniel Lurie citing a 30 percent citywide crime decline, violent crime at levels not seen since the 1950s, and car break‑ins at a 22‑year low.
  • SFPD says drones are launched for active incidents rather than routine patrol, and more than 400 license‑plate cameras alert officers when vehicles tied to crimes pass by.
  • The hub supports multi‑agency operations, with the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department co‑locating for policing, search efforts and disaster response, including cross‑bay coordination during active investigations.
  • Civil‑liberties groups including the EFF and ACLU of Northern California warn the consolidated tools risk a pervasive dragnet and chilled speech, while police leaders pledge strong privacy safeguards.