Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/74973
SPECIAL REPORT State-Of-The-Art Operations Center The Calgary Police Service's (CPS) Real- Time Operations Center (RTOC) provides support to frontline members responding to any and all incidents in real time. Run on a 24/7 basis, it also supports officers in investigation, intelligence gathering and coordination, and analytical guidance. THE MAKING OF A REAL-TIME OPERATIONS CENTER Calgary Police fight crime in real time. These CCTV screens make up the RTOC video wall. By Lisa Schultz O n Jan. 1, 2009, Calgary experienced the shooting death of an innocent bystander in an ongoing battle between two street gangs. In Calgary, a relative newcomer to the world of gang shootings, this was met with shock, and with questions about what the police were doing to prevent further gang violence. Enter the Calgary Police Service's (CPS) first attempt at a real- time operations center – the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC). Post-shooting, the RTCC was quickly developed and housed in the Police Command Operations Center, which was normally only operational during major events requiring multiple police resources. The RTCC attempted to combine investigative, analytical and operational resources to proactively prevent any further retalia- tion between these warring gangs, and to identify and investigate those responsible for the triple homicide. While it did a fair job of bringing different investigative areas together to share informa- tion and build intelligence, it did not do a good job of involving patrol in gathering information, nor did it properly share analyti- cal findings with frontline officers. 38 LAW and ORDER I July 2012 In spring 2009, when the temporary members of the RTCC re- turned to their regular work units, Calgary's Chief of Police, Rick Hanson, assembled a team of senior officers and civilians led by Superintendent Barry Clark. The purpose was to evaluate the RTCC, identifying the Center's successes, as well as any gaps in service. The team first held focus groups with a cross-section of CPS employees, to determine whether a real-time crime/operations Center was needed and wanted, and to identify the mandate and functions of that Center. Once the focus groups were finished, and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) were prepared, the team presented their findings and recommendations to the Executive Committee, and received approval to go forward with implemen- tation of the Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC). Prior to RTOC's implementation, the CPS frontline command and control function was long maintained by a Duty Inspector, who reported to the Deputy Chief in charge of frontline support, and worked independently to support District Sergeants in their control of district patrol units. The RTOC Implementation Team identified a strong need to provide the Duty Inspectors with more resources to assist them in their decision-making. Essentially, the goal was to give them the tools they needed to be more effective in making decisions, and to be supported during major incidents in the city. The Implementation Team recognized a need to not only sup-