Policing Matters

Real time information centers are quickly becoming the connective tissue between technology and patrol, pulling together tools like drones as first responders, automated license plate readers, fixed-camera networks, CAD and intelligence platforms to turn incoming data into decisions officers can use in the moment. The result is a shift from reactive updates to proactive situational awareness, with centers helping agencies track suspects without high-risk pursuits, tighten response decisions and support broader public safety missions. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Nikki Bell, RTIC manager with the Vacaville Police Department, and Andrea Cortez, RTIC manager with the Elk Grove Police Department. Bell brings 25 years in public safety, including early experience as a single-seat dispatcher in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, that shaped her focus on resourcefulness, operational empathy and “many hats” staffing. Cortez draws from an intelligence analysis background, applying the