THE BENEFITS
heading to the location of the crime. Video and key information means they’re better equipped with suspect or vehicle descriptions as well. Chief Briggs recalled an armed robbery where the suspect fled the scene, only to be picked up on camera by the RTCC as he left another business. “The suspect took off running across two different intersections and behind a business, yet the RTCC followed him the entire way and officers quickly arrested him,” he said. “Previously, we would have sent officers to the area, set up a perimeter, gotten a K-9 unit out, done a track, all of which are very resource intensive. “With real-time information officers can now go to the suspect, get them in custody, make it safe, and then investigate the crime,” he continued. “We’re almost reversing how we did it, making it that much safer and more efficient.” Even more critical – having a real-time, full-picture view as incidents unfold enables operators to keep responding officers safer. “RTCC allows us to have eyes on scene almost immediately,” stated Chief Briggs. “As soon as that call comes in, we have visuals. We’re able to describe, track, sometimes even identify the suspect right away – and if we see weapons, we can give that information to the responding officers so they don’t walk into a dangerous situation unprepared.” The RTCC’s ability to provide officers with up-to-the- second intelligence and critical information saves time in the identification and apprehension of suspects. More importantly, it can help save lives by equipping officers in the field with information about specific threats or dangerous conditions as they approach a crime scene or suspect. MOTOTRBO Capacity Max and two-way radios provide an ongoing safety net for Nova Scotia Power, built to deliver communications wherever an employee’s day takes them. The radios have even delivered uninterrupted coverage to remote areas of Cape Breton Island at the far eastern end of the province, and in basements of far-flung facilities, areas that previously left crews without coverage due to dense forests, rugged coastline or thick concrete walls.
CITY WATCH PROGRAM INCREASES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CRIME PREVENTION Everyone involved in the City Watch Program agrees that the partnership has strengthened the already strong ties between the GPD and the community it serves. Officer Clubb believes it has created a greater sense of investment and empowerment for local business, while City Manager Phelps lauds the openness and collaboration shown by its participants. “The City Watch program brings together the public and private sectors to meet a common need, which is to protect our citizens and businesses,” Phelps said. “It takes mutual trust to pull that off, so to get everyone signed up with the program has been remarkable.” Mark Slowinksi of Circle K notes that having store cameras feed directly into the RTCC makes both employees and customers feel safer. Employees know that if a crime occurs, they can easily alert the GPD, which will immediately have eyes on the scene via video. Because officers can respond to and resolve crimes faster than before, the overall sense of safety has increased. “I think both employees and customers appreciate it,” Slowinksi said. “Initially when we rolled the program out, we didn’t know if we’d receive pushback. But overall, what we’ve heard is, ‘Hey, this is great; thank you.’” As part of the program, City Watch signs are prominently displayed in Circle K stores. Slowinkski believes the signage acts as a deterrent to crime, and he knows it makes his employees feel safer. “Incidents have gone down since the signs have gone up. Just having the signage up, I know a percentage of criminals will read them and say, ‘Nevermind; I’ll go somewhere else,’” he stated. “And having those signs on the door makes everyone feel a little bit better about going to work.” Chief Briggs believes the integration of technology and community is key to the program’s success. “The three pillars of a good society are government, business, and community,” he stated. “And if you can leverage a partnership, whether it be relational or technological, you’re creating a holistic approach. We’re now taking community policing to a whole new level and we’re doing it with technology.” Bringing public agencies, private businesses, and cutting-edge technology together toward one common objective has had a “multiplying” effect in Glendale. By uniting in a shared effort, the GPD and the community it serves are more powerful and effective at fighting crime together than ever before. REAL TIME DATA ENABLES FIRST RESPONDERS FOR FASTER RESPONSE AND INCREASED SAFETY Real-time intelligence leads to faster response times for the GPD across the municipality. RTCC operators can view video from crime scenes and even share video clips directly with responding officers in the field. In response, officers can adjust their approach in real-time, relocating to where a suspect was last seen versus simply
CASE STUDY | GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT
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