The City of Greeley has kicked off preliminary operations in its Real-Time Information Center (RTIC), a state-of-the-art public safety initiative that supports effective and efficient police service to the Greeley community. It is the first of its kind in Northern Colorado.
“We expect Greeley’s population to double by 2060. With growth comes an increased need for staffing and resources. We are proud of the more than 300 first responders who work tirelessly to respond to emergencies, which included more than 70,000 calls to 911 last year. Still, public safety and 911 calls are on the rise annually, averaging a five-percent increase each year. The use of innovative policing technology ensures we can keep response times down and deploy our resources when and where we need them most,” says Chief of Police Adam Turk.
About Greeley’s Real-Time Information Center
The RTIC provides data and technology to Greeley police responders so they can plan and deploy appropriate resources, respond more effectively to emergency situations and, when necessary, quickly identify and locate missing individuals or criminal suspects.
The center will house multiple forms of technology the city already uses, like drones, covert and overt camera feeds and license plate readers, to sync up video feeds of public spaces in Greeley. The RTIC will not access live feeds of privately owned cameras, nor does the technology involve facial recognition software.
Employees use monitoring tools in conjunction with various law enforcement tools like computer-aided dispatch to provide situational awareness and critical information to first responders.
“Based on other cities who have similar centers, we fully expect the RTIC to help us quickly answer calls with additional emergency information that protects both residents and officers. It can aid in everything from vehicle crash investigations to the recovery of lost children. Data shows these systems have helped our colleagues solve crimes and deter future ones,” Turk says.
Operations Underway
In August, the Greeley Police Department hired several staff members dedicated to the center. The team has since been trained and is now undergoing additional certifications to enhance their work. In addition, the city selected Fusus, an award-winning provider of cloud-based security networks, to supply the RTIC’s technological platform. The purchase of additional public safety equipment is underway.
For now, operations will take place in a temporary location on Greeley’s west side. In 2025, the center will continue to scale up, moving into a permanent home next door to Greeley Police headquarters mid-year. City council has approved using current public safety tax funds for construction, which is budgeted to cost $1.5 million.
Following its launch, the center will require about $700,000 a year in operating costs paid from the Public Safety Fund. The City of Greeley is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of the community. Ensuring Greeley is a safe and secure community to live, work and play is a priority.