San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie credited the San Francisco Police Department’s new Real Time Investigation Center with over 500 arrests and a significant drop in crime at a press conference at the Hall of Justice on Wednesday.
The Real Time Investigation Center (RTIC), launched last year, leveraged new technology such as drones and automated cameras to assist in the arrests.
“Using technology like Drones as First Responders (DFR) and Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras together, the SFPD can rapidly respond to crimes in progress, identify suspects and make swift arrests with officers in the community directly communicating with teams inside the RTIC,” according to a statement released by the Mayor’s Office, noting the new unit’s assistance in the arrests, including 207 using the ALPR network, 43 using drones, as well as 166 stolen vehicle arrests and 80 robbery arrests.
“The Real-Time Investigation Center is a turning point for public safety in San Francisco,” said Mayor Lurie. “By giving our officers real-time information from across the city, we’re helping them respond faster, make smarter decisions, and stay safe. As we work to fully staff our police department, RTIC is a force multiplier and it’s already delivering results: over 500 arrests, reduced crime, and better outcomes for the communities we serve.”
The RTIC was created after voters passed Proposition E last March. The measure was placed on the ballot by then-Mayor London Breed. Since its launch, overall crime has dropped in the city by 28 percent, and is 30 percent down this year, according to the Mayor’s Office statement. Complete comparative data isn’t yet available, but a Council on Criminal Justice report noted that from 2023 to 2024, robberies around the country dropped by 10%, carjackings by 32%, and vehicle thefts by 24%. The FBI’s Quarterly Uniform Crime Report indicated a decrease of 10.3% in violent crimes in the first half of 2024.
“By giving our officers real-time information from across the city, we’re helping them respond faster, make smarter decisions, and stay safe,” said Mayor Lurie.
Notable cases where the unit helped in making arrests include a January shooting at 17th Street and South Van Ness Avenue, the first homicide of the year. The unit was also employed in responding to a series of violent robberies in the Stockton Tunnel last December and a home invasion in the Bayview last November. It’s also been credited with reducing risk in vehicle pursuits, locating missing persons, and responding to behavioral health incidents.
According to the statement, officers were able to use a drone to identify a man who threatened to jump from a building in the Tenderloin on Feb. 16, assisting crisis intervention officers in talking him off the ledge and then connecting him with mental health services.
“We are seeing the future of policing in San Francisco in action, and the results are stunning,” said SFPD Chief Bill Scott. “Our hard-working officers are getting the assistance they need with these technologies, helping them increase arrests and decrease crime. I want to thank Mayor Daniel Lurie for supporting this vision and helping us take it to the next level.”