Birmingham debuts new tech hub to help solve crime in real time

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2021/10/real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539.jpeg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1280;s:6:"height";i:720;s:4:"file";s:50:"2021/10/real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539.jpeg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-336x189.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-771x434.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-768x432.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-800x450.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-600x600.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-553x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-470x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"real_time_crime_center-e1634682728539-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_image_alt] => Array
        (
            [0] => Birmingham Police Real Time Crime Center
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Cody Owens
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Birmingham City Council Office
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:11:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1280;s:6:"height";i:853;s:4:"file";s:27:"real_time_crime_center.jpeg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-336x224.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-768x512.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-771x514.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:514;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"real_time_crime_center-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-800x450.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-600x600.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-467x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-398x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"real_time_crime_center-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

)
1655520819 
1634727591
Birmingham Police Real Time Crime Center

The Birmingham Police Real Time Crime Center.

Cody Owens, Birmingham City Council Office

Birmingham leaders officially opened the city’s Real Time Crime Center Tuesday, a project intended to give the Birmingham Police Department new technological tools to help resolve crime more quickly.

Since 2019 Mayor Randall Woodfin has advocated for a technological hub that will assist city police.

“The Real Time Crime center provides BPD with more information, which is truly needed. And more resources, which is truly needed to respond to situations in a more efficient way,” Woodfin said.

The nearly $3 million facility will operate 19 hours a day.

Patrick Smith

Cody Owens,Birmingham City Council Office
Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith.

“Our goal is to make sure that we are operating in the most effective and efficient manner that we possibly can to resolve crime,” said Police Chief Patrick Smith.

Having real-time information can increase safety for officers and the community, said Smith. The department has been working with other cities with similar centers such as Montgomery, Huntsville and Mobile.

Birmingham’s Real Time Crime Center features facial recognition technology, license plate readers and a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) system intended to make solving crimes easier and discourage future crimes.

Birmingham Police Officers

Cody Owens,Birmingham City Council Office
Birmingham Police Officers at the ribbon cutting ceremony of The Real Time Crime Center.

Some people in the community have pushed back against this effort due to the amount of money that would be spent and out of concern for how the technology could be used against civilians.

So far in 2021, Birmingham police have investigated 81 homicides, ruling 12 of them justified. Right now, the police department has 41 unsolved cases. The department said they anticipate the new technology hub will play an important role in resolving those cases.

 

Goliath the Galápagos tortoise celebrated his first Father’s Day and 135th birthday

Goliath had been paired with several female tortoises before, in hopes of producing a hatchling, but the process wasn't successful until earlier this month.

NAACP won’t invite Trump to its national convention, breaking a 116-year tradition

President Trump is the first U.S. president in 116 years that the NAACP hasn't invited to the annual convention. The group says Trump is attacking democracy and civil rights.

As Israel turns its focus to Iran, the death toll mounts in Gaza — and hunger deepens

Palestinians say Israeli forces killed scores of people trying to reach food aid in Khan Younis on Tuesday in the deadliest attack of recent weeks on hungry crowds attempting to get food in Gaza.

4 things to know as the war between Israel and Iran intensifies

Panic and confusion gripped Iran's capital, Tehran, as Israel warned civilians to evacuate or face more potential strikes as conflict between the two countries spilled into its fifth day.

Alex Padilla recounts his removal from DHS news conference in emotional Senate speech

The California Democrat returned to the Senate floor Tuesday to warn that the Trump administrations response to immigration protests in Los Angeles should "shock the conscience of our country."

Alfred Brendel, the cerebral pianist with a dry wit, dies at 94

Routinely called a "musician's musician," the pianist had an atypical career that even he called mysterious. He spent it returning to a handful of favorite composers, with acclaimed results.

More Crime Coverage