KYLE — The Kyle Police Department has launched a Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) in hopes to enhance public safety and expedite criminal investigations in the city.
The program is powered through Axon Fusus, a thirdparty camera and software system, said KPD Public Information and Community Engagement Specialist Ashlee Bradshaw, but does require two full-time equivalent Real-Time Crime Center analyst positions, which will be employed by KPD and have already been approved in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget.
RTCC works through a voluntary system, where business owners and residents can register their cameras online to provide access to KPD during investigations.
For example, if EVO Entertainment signs up for the program and there is a burglary in its parking lot, a RTCC analyst will contact the business and explain that a crime has occurred in the area. After, they will request access to the security camera video footage, at EVO Entertainment’s discretion.
“[It] would essentially expedite our response. We would know exactly where the suspect is in real time and spend less time searching the area for them. Or, if it was an incident that happened recently, we would spend less time doing canvassing via foot, which is where our detectives [and] our officers are going door to door, business to business, covering an area, trying to ask them verbally if they have any video footage of the incident that might help the investigation,” explained Bradshaw.
Similarly, if a community member experiences a crime and calls 9-1-1, the RTCC analysts would work with the dispatcher to look in the system and see if any cameras are registered in the area and then, reach out and request access.
Despite signing up for the program, each time KPD wants to access footage, owner approval is required.
According to the specialist, KPD did a soft launch of the software near the end of 2023 and early 2024, but this is the official kick-off to the program. Based on Kyle’s crime statistics, it is key to get as many businesses as possible to register to be the most effective, though, residents are encouraged to sign up, as well.
All crimnal investigations could benefit from this program, said Bradshaw, from kidnappings to robbery, property theft and more.
“[RTCC is] definitely something that’s being implemented in quite a few [police departments], not only locally, but also across the nation. It’s just a more innovative and efficient community policing practice, where we can really partner with our community members and local businesses and work together to keep Kyle safe,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw also addressed potential concerns, such as those with the Flock Safety cameras that were installed throughout the city after Kyle City Council approval in 2023, stating that this system is different because, while the License Plate Recognition cameras are constantly running, residents have complete control over any video footage issued. Each time footage is viewed will also be recorded. Additionally, there are policies and protocols in place that state only assigned officials can view footage strictly for law enforcement purposes.
Residents can visit www.connectkyle.org to create an account and register their cameras. If a community member does not want to connect their cameras to the program, they can register without doing so and if a crime does happen, KPD still can reach out and request footage. Cameras can also be removed at any time or the account can be deleted.
“They can go on there and check it out, see if it’s for them and if they choose to partner with us in keeping Kyle safe, then I would encourage them to create an account and register their cameras or at least create an account,” concluded Bradshaw.