Inside the Osceola County Sheriff's Office Real-Time Crime Center

KISSIMMEE, Florida. – FOX 35 News provides a real-time look at crime-fighting in Osceola County, where deputies are leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve the efficiency of police work.

Thousands of cameras installed throughout the county feed into a central location, called a “game changer” by Sheriff Marcos Lopez. The sheriff emphasized that the system is not invasive to law-abiding citizens. The network of cameras is strategically placed at busy intersections, on public buses, inside district schools and carried by deputies, all feeding the Real-Time Crime Center.

“The bad guys use technology, so sometimes they're more advanced than us, so why not use it for good?” » said Sheriff Lopez.

Technology allows MPs to respond more quickly and reduces the time spent on investigations, thereby eliminating some procedural delays.

“In unusual circumstances, you will need to obtain a subpoena, a search warrant and deal with the paperwork,” Lopez explained. “This eliminates some of the red tape when time is of the essence.”

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The Real-Time Crime Center is essential during searches and active shooter scenarios, allowing law enforcement to pinpoint locations and quickly deploy officers. Sheriff Lopez highlighted the system's role in decreasing violent crime in the county year over year, crediting technology as a significant factor.

“It's been used for big things and not-so-big things, but no matter what, the outcome is always positive,” said Donna Sita, crime analyst supervisor.

The center, which debuted in 2021, is expected to expand under Lopez's leadership to include facial recognition, weapons recognition and drone technology.

“You start to introduce this technology and get your law enforcement up to speed on it, I think it really reduces crime, and the criminals will really have second thoughts before they come here and do this kind of things,” Lopez added.

The sheriff noted that the number of violent crimes in his jurisdiction is lower than in previous years, a testament to the impact of technology in reducing crime in Osceola County.