From Solving Drive-By Shootings to Wildfire Evacuations: Inside Spokane County's RTCC

Spokane County Real Time Crime Center – At-a-Glance

The Spokane County RealTime Crime and Emergency Operations Center is a 24/7 intelligence hub where trained analysts monitor live feeds like 911 calls, Flock Safety license plate readers, traffic and fixed cameras, body worn video, social media, and law enforcement databases, and push actionable intelligence directly to deputies in the field.

Home to more than 500,000 residents in eastern Washington, Spokane County faces higherthanaverage crime rates. The Sheriff’s Office already had cameras, license plate readers, and CAD systems, but those tools lived in silos, and officers couldn’t fully leverage what they were paying for. Instead of toggling between screens and software, analysts now see everything in one environment, and the people who need information get it instantly. “The RTCC in Spokane County has become the nerve center and law enforcement intelligence command post for most every public safety incident.” – Lt. Justin Elliott, Commander, RIG9 and RTCC

How Was the RTCC Funded?

The center was funded by nearly $4 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars approved by the Spokane County Board of Commissioners, plus about $850,000 in ARPA funds from the City of Spokane Valley, making it a regional asset serving multiple agencies from one shared hub.

Core Functions

• Incident Response – Analysts track incidents in real time and relay critical details to deputies for faster, better-informed decisions.

• Crime Prevention – Pattern recognition and predictive analytics identify emerging activity before it escalates.

• Resource Allocation – Data-driven deployment puts the right personnel and tools in the right place.

• Emergency Response – During the 2023 Gray and Oregon Road wildfires, the RTCC coordinated evacuations using live camera feeds to monitor roads, track traffic, and position personnel.

• Special Events – For parades, fairs, and large gatherings, the RTCC tracks crowds and anticipates issues before they develop.

• Crisis Response – The RTCC supports mental health response teams by combining data platforms with behavioral health units, helping responders make better decisions when encountering individuals in crisis.

Real Time Crime Center Results:

• 150+ arrests or charges in serious cases

• 88 stolen vehicles recovered

• 9 missing persons safely located

• Wildfire evacuation coordination during the 2023 Gray and Oregon Road fires

Designing the Space: How Fountainhead Control Rooms Partnered with Spokane County for Optimal Performance

Technology only works when the people using it can see clearly, collaborate without friction, and sustain focus across a 12-hour shift. Fountainhead Control Rooms partnered with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to design and build the physical environment – consoles, layout, and sightlines – that turns a room full of monitors into a true command center. Within a Retrofit Footprint – Fountainhead Control Rooms Delivered:

• Custom consoles supporting multiple monitors, specialized input devices, and cable management

• ISO 11064-compliant, operator-centric layout for ergonomics and sustained performance

• Clear sightlines to a central video wall for every analyst

• Scalable design that grows as the RTCC adds agencies, technology, or operators

About Fountainhead Control Rooms

Fountainhead designs and builds turnkey command and control environments for mission-critical operations worldwide – public safety, utilities, transportation, military, and emergency operations. Every space is custom, ergonomic, and built to ISO 11064 standards. As one client put it, Fountainhead’s attention to detail produced “a centerpiece of our organization for years to come.”