Oklahoma City police have released video from inside their Real Time Information Center that follows a drone-assisted hunt for a homicide suspect after a Jan. 17 call. The short clip walks viewers from the moment technicians lock onto a live aerial feed to the point officers move in on the ground and take a person into custody, with the department presenting it as a showcase of analysts and officers operating as one team.
Oklahoma City Police
The footage went up Tuesday on the department’s X account under the banner “Real-Time Response in Action.” In the post, the department says its Real Time Information Center used a drone to track a homicide suspect tied to a Jan. 17 incident, with analysts feeding live coordinates and an overhead view to officers responding on the street, according to Oklahoma City Police.
How the Real-Time Information Center Assisted
The Real Time Information Center, or RTIC, pulls together fixed city cameras, license plate readers and drone feeds so civilian technicians can push near real-time information to patrol units. The city’s police support units page says the RTIC “leverages existing and emerging technology to increase safety” and is meant to boost situational awareness for officers in the field, City of Oklahoma City notes.
Where Jan. 17 Fits In
The department’s post links the drone deployment to a Jan. 17 homicide response, a date that fell during a weekend local media described as “unusually high” for deadly incidents, with at least seven deaths reported across the city. Several accounts say officers used quick coordination and technology to find suspects or witnesses within minutes, as documented by The Oklahoman.
Funding, Transparency and Privacy
The city’s fiscal year 2024 budget set aside about $1.1 million for the RTIC, a line item officials say is meant to support faster and safer responses on priority calls, according to City of Oklahoma City. The growing use of surveillance tools has also stirred debate in the region, including concerns raised when facial comparison software was discussed for police use, as reported by KGOU.
Legal Note…