Public Safety

Commerce City RTCC: Real Time Intelligence and Drone Response

Commerce City Police Department

At a Glance

Solution

Real Time Crime Center

Location

Commerce City, CO

Products Used

Elite AIR Consoles

Fountainhead Control Rooms designed and built the physical environment for the Commerce City RTCC in Commerce City, Colorado. The Real Time Crime Center brings live video, license plate recognition, drone feeds, crime data and operational intelligence into one centralized environment. Fountainhead designed the operator workstations, room layout and video wall sightlines to support continuous monitoring, real time decision making and coordinated police response.

How Fountainhead Designed the Commerce City RTCC

Fountainhead designed the Commerce City RTCC around operator visibility, collaboration and access to real time information. The control room environment coordinates operator workstations with a shared visualization wall so analysts can monitor multiple information sources while maintaining a common operational picture during active incidents.

Technology only works when the people operating it can see clearly, collaborate without friction, and sustain focus over long shifts. The Commerce City RTCC was designed and installed by Fountainhead Control Rooms to meet exactly those demands.

Fountainhead's scope encompassed the full physical environment: control room layout, custom operator consoles supporting simultaneous drone piloting and camera monitoring, and all finishing work that unifies the space into a cohesive operational environment.

In addition to multiple custom operator consoles, the project included a single custom three-operator console and a 24/7 ergonomic chair for each workstation. Every position was carefully planned to optimize operator ergonomics, minimize fatigue during extended shifts, and provide unobstructed sightlines to the video display wall, ensuring personnel can maintain constant situational awareness. The result is a functional, operator-focused workspace that supports faster decision-making and reliable performance in a demanding real-time environment.

Read the full case study

Community Context: A Growing Front-Range City with Evolving Public Safety Needs

Located in Adams County along the South Platte River corridor, Commerce City is part of the growing Denver metropolitan area. Its expanding community and diverse mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas create ongoing demands on public safety services.

Commerce City RTCC At a Glance

Agency & Purpose

The Commerce City Police Department (CCPD) uses its RTCC to combine live video, aerial intelligence, and real-time information sharing in support of officers in the field.

Core Technology Stack

Integrated monitoring systems — consolidate visual information, alerts, and operational data to help personnel assess developing incidents
Drone as First Responder (DFR) program — provides aerial perspectives and thermal imaging to assist with incident assessment and locating individuals
Video surveillance capabilities — provide additional visual context to support real-time response and follow-up investigations
Incident detection and alerting — helps personnel identify developing public safety situations and coordinate appropriate responses
Integrated information sharing — enables personnel to communicate relevant intelligence to officers in the field as incidents unfold

Operations & Use Cases

Drone operators deploy aircraft in response to selected emergency calls and public safety alerts, providing aerial information to support field response
RTCC personnel share live imagery and relevant incident information with officers to help assess situations before and during their arrival
Aerial thermal imaging helps operators locate individuals in low-visibility conditions and guide officers to their location
Integrated video and incident information help personnel assess developing situations and support follow-up investigations
In February 2026, RTCC drone operators helped locate a missing 76-year-old woman near a highway interchange using thermal imaging, demonstrating the potential value of aerial intelligence in time-sensitive incidents.⁵

How Does the Commerce City RTCC Use Drones During Active Incidents?

On July 9, 2025, just the third day of Commerce City’s Drone as First Responder operations, an RTCC drone operator tracked a man riding a reportedly stolen motorcycle after a patrol officer spotted him.¹

The drone provided an aerial view of the suspect’s movements, helping officers maintain situational awareness and coordinate their response. Rather than relying solely on ground-based observation, officers could use the drone’s live feed to help assess the situation and determine an appropriate opportunity to intervene.

The suspect was subsequently apprehended. Authorities reported that he had three outstanding felony warrants and that officers recovered drugs and a stolen firearm. His driver’s license had also been revoked.¹

The incident demonstrated how aerial intelligence can help officers track suspects, improve coordination, and inform decisions during a developing incident, adding another tool to support safer, more informed police operations.

How Integrated Intelligence Supports Commerce City RTCC Decisions

Commerce City’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) program adds an aerial perspective to selected emergency calls, helping personnel assess situations as they develop. Live drone footage gives RTCC personnel and responding officers additional context about an incident and helps inform decisions about the appropriate response.

In March 2026, the department reported 391 drone launches for calls for service. The department also reported that its drone program helped clear 14% of patrol calls that month.² ³ These figures demonstrate the program’s operational use, although they do not establish a specific number of patrol hours saved or explain the disposition of every call.

The program can also provide an aerial view during incidents involving fleeing suspects, helping officers maintain visual awareness and coordinate their response. By adding information from above, the RTCC gives personnel another resource for evaluating developing situations and making informed decisions that consider both officer and public safety.

Commerce City RTCC Results

Commerce City’s public safety reporting provides insight into local crime trends and the department’s use of the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and drone operations. The figures below reflect department- and city-reported results and are not intended to attribute broader crime trends solely to the RTCC.

Crime Trends

31.5% decrease in auto thefts in 2025 compared with 2024, according to the city’s year-end reporting.⁴
Real-time investigative support: Integrated information and aerial intelligence provide additional resources for assessing incidents and supporting investigations.
Documented field outcomes: The department has publicly reported cases in which drone operations helped officers locate individuals and coordinate responses to developing incidents.

Operational Efficiency

391 drone launches in March 2026 were reported by the department for calls for service.²
Drone program helped clear 14% of patrol calls in March 2026, according to department reporting. This figure reflects the reported outcome for that month and should not be interpreted as a measure of patrol hours saved.² ³
Aerial situational awareness: Live drone imagery provides an additional perspective to help personnel assess incidents and coordinate with officers in the field.
Informed response decisions: Real-time information can help personnel evaluate developing situations and determine appropriate next steps.

Scale

88,988 calls for service in 2025: The Commerce City Police Department handled 4.5% more calls than in 2024, according to the city’s year-end report.⁴
A dedicated operational resource: The RTCC provides an environment where personnel can review available information and support field operations as public safety demands evolve.

How Was the Commerce City RTCC Funded?

Commerce City launched its RTCC primarily through its own operating and capital budgets rather than a dedicated grant. The 2025 adopted budget added multiple RTCC technician and drone-pilot positions.⁶ In 2026, the city expanded the program by drawing on a blend of funding sources, including IT budget funds, surplus from completed capital projects, General Fund reserves, federal forfeiture funds, a federal Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) allocation, and an Urban Renewal Authority contribution.⁷, For agencies weighing a similar program, Commerce City's approach shows how an RTCC can be launched with local funds and then grown by layering in budget, reserve, and federal sources over time.

Sources

¹ John Aguilar, "A Colorado City Pioneers Drones as First Responders," Governing, syndicated from The Denver Post, July 22, 2025, https://www.governing.com/management-and-administration/a-colorado-city-pioneers-drones-as-first-responders

² Danielle Kreutter, "Commerce City police expands program with Flock as other communities cut ties with the company," Denver7, April 10, 2026, https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/commerce-city/commerce-city-police-expands-program-with-flock-as-other-communities-cut-ties-with-the-company

³ Jennifer McRae, "Colorado police department uses Real Time Crime Center to track drones helping solve crimes, gather evidence," CBS Colorado, updated April 13, 2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-police-department-real-crime-center-drones-solve-crimes-evidence/

⁴ City of Commerce City, "2025 Year in Review," January 1, 2026, https://www.c3gov.com/News-articles/2025-Wrapped

⁵ City of Commerce City, "Drone as First Responder Program Quickly Locates Missing Person," press release, published February 20, 2026, https://www.c3gov.com/News-articles/Police-News/First-Responder-Drone

⁶ City of Commerce City, "2025 Adopted Budget," annual budget, 2025, https://www.c3gov.com/files/assets/city/v/1/fd-finance-department/documents/budgets/2025-adopted-budget-01272025.pdf

⁷ City of Commerce City, "Ordinance 2756," City Council legislative record authorizing funding for the Flock Expansion Project, April 6, 2026, https://commerce.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?m=l&id=/matter.aspx?key=12490