In 2012, I launched one of the country’s first Real Time Crime Centers in Fort Worth, Texas. We had radios, screens, and a few scattered camera feeds, but the real breakthrough wasn’t the hardware. It was the idea that situational awareness didn’t have to wait until an officer arrived on scene. That seeing could happen before acting.

Fast forward to today, and the tools have evolved dramatically. But the challenge remains the same: giving law enforcement real-time context that’s fast, flexible, and frictionless.

At Flock Safety, we call that context on your terms. And we’ve built an entire ecosystem around it.

The Era of Speed and Clarity

Ask any officer what matters most in a critical moment, and the answer is usually one word: speed.

The window between a crime occurring and the suspect getting away is painfully short. That’s why platforms like FlockOS exist—not just to collect data, but to stitch it together across all the sensors, agencies, and moments that matter.

FlockOS is what I call the most sophisticated situational awareness platform available to public safety today. Why? Because it isn’t just another dashboard. It’s a unified, open ecosystem where ALPR, live video, drone feeds, and investigative tools all work in sync, whether you’re a patrol officer on the street or an analyst in a Real Time Crime Center.

The Power of Perspective

Every case starts with a story. But stories are complex. They unfold from different angles. That’s why we think of each part of the Flock platform as a lens on the same incident:

• ALPR (License Plate Recognition) offers vehicle context: Where was the car before and after the crime?
  
  
• Live Video gives scene context: What’s happening in the moment, and how is it evolving?
  
  
• Drone as First Responder (DFR) provides an aerial perspective: What’s the terrain? Is there a secondary threat?
  
  
• Flock Nova adds temporal context: What patterns link this moment to previous crimes?
  
  

In the past, officers had to bounce between five systems to get a fraction of that insight. Now, it’s available on one platform, in real time, and on the user’s terms.

True Openness: In and Out

We often hear talk of “open platforms.” But let’s be honest, most vendors mean you can send data in. At Flock, we believe openness means two-way interoperability. You can bring other camera feeds, records, and inputs into FlockOS, and we’ll also send data out to other systems, records platforms, or partners. Because public safety is most effective when information flows freely—not when it’s locked in silos.

Whether you already have a tech stack you trust or are just getting started, FlockOS meets you where you are.

Real-Time Policing, Real-World Example

Let me walk you through a real scenario:

A resident leaves their car running outside a mall. Someone jumps in and steals it. Traditionally, that call would go to 911, get routed to a dispatcher, and reach an officer 10–15 minutes later. A report would be taken. The case would go cold.

But with FlockOS? Here’s what happens instead:

• A Real Time Crime Center hears the 911 call as it’s happening.
  
  
• A drone launches automatically to the location.
  
  
• Dispatchers and officers hear the suspect vehicle description in real time.
  
  
• The plate is entered into the ALPR system.
  
  
• Within minutes, a nearby license plate reader gets a hit.
  
  
• Live traffic cameras, business cameras, and Flock devices all pivot to that area.
  
  
• Officers coordinate and intercept the vehicle. The suspect is caught. The car is returned.
  
  

That’s not fiction. That’s today. In five to ten minutes, not days or weeks.

Empowering Every Agency From Big to Small

You don’t need to build a NASA-style command center to embrace real-time policing. FlockOS was designed to scale. Whether you’re running a rural department with one drone or a large metro agency with thousands of feeds, the power is the same: put actionable context in the hands of those who need it, when they need it.

Patrol. Dispatch. Command staff. Investigators. Everyone gets a single pane of glass to operate from.

It’s Not Just Better Tech, It’s Better Service

Citizens expect public safety to deliver the same fast, connected experience they get everywhere else in life. That’s not just about convenience; it’s about trust. When law enforcement can respond faster, investigate smarter, and connect the dots clearly, they serve their communities better. Period.

FlockOS isn’t here to replace anyone’s tools. It’s here to help them work together—faster, smarter, and on your terms.

Want to hear more? Check out Flock’s podcast Real-Time Policing: When Moments Matter with Jamie Hudson and myself, where we explore real-time policing through interviews, real deployments, and frontline insights.