MILLERSVILLE, Md. — Captured on camera from a convenience store in Glen Burnie.
“This grey pickup truck, seen here, was stolen and the owner was tragically drug as he tried to intervene,” said Lt. Brian Carney of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
The thief would run, but he couldn’t hide.
“R-TIC staff found a second suspect had also entered the vehicle, which was abandoned near a county building equipped with R-TIC cameras,” added Carney as various cameras showed their every move.
R-TIC is short for a new Real-Time Information Center now online for police that can access video as crimes happen from more than 1,300 public and commercial cameras.
Residents will now be able to add their private cameras to the network as well.
It’s taking the guesswork out of police work.
Now, back to our thieves in Glen Burnie where one camera captures the suspects going into a nearby restaurant, and another spots them leaving after changing their clothes.
“Our helicopter working in close coordination with the R-TIC quickly located them again as you see here on the video as they boarded the light rail train,” said Carney, “As the officers arrived, they intercepted the train and within minutes, both suspects were in custody.”
The R-TIC team was able to monitor that arrest in real time through the police officers’ body-worn cameras.
That’s right.
Body-worn cameras have evolved and now not only store recordings, but also provide a live picture with sound as interactions unfold.
County leaders are celebrating their $1.5 million investment in the technology.
“I’m extremely excited about this,” said Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, “I think it’s one of the best investments we’ve made in public safety in a very long time.”
And officers are happy to have a new virtual partner, which in its first several months of testing, has already been used to monitor 200 separate incidents leading to arrests or calls for back up when monitors see officers in need of help in dangerous situations and may not even realize it.
