PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) —The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Rhode Island is raising concerns about the new Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) in Providence, arguing it is void of meaningful privacy protections.
Last week, Providence police launched the operations center inside its Investigative Bureau’s Major Crimes Unit. Designed to help reduce crime through data sharing and advanced analytics, the system integrates security cameras, Flock license plate readers, body-worn cameras, and 911 call information.
BACKGROUND: Providence police launch real-time crime center
While police stressed that residents can choose whether to register their home cameras and access to private footage requires consent, the ACLU believes the RTCC was introduced without properly addressing the privacy implications.
In a letter on Thursday, the ACLU urged city officials to adopt a municipal ordinance requiring clear privacy protections. The group claimed that no formal, publicly available policies govern the RTCC, even though the system is already in use…