Regional Information and Intelligence Center Wins Top National Honor

It's the brain center where local police coordinate crime fighting in real time, using video surveillance footage, DNA evidence, reports from officers in the field and more. The Regional Information and Intelligence Center (RIIC), shared by St. Charles County and St. Louis County, has been named best in the country by a national association.

The RIIC was named Real Time Center of the Year, winning over 20 other nominees, at the National Real Time Crime Center Association convention in Atlanta in September.

St. Charles County Police Colonel Kurt Frisz is applauding the award.

"This award is a reflection of the incredible dedication and hard work our RIIC investigators put in every day," Frisz says. "Their efforts not only help keep our communities safe, but they also make a real difference in protecting our officers on the street."

St. Charles County Police Sgt. Scott Ronald, who works at the RIIC, says they probably won because they're working to solve crimes happening right now-not just crimes in the past.

"We get license plate hits, and we put them out to officers that are on the road live, and we can also use the cameras in the region to track them down and provide more real time information."

In January, the RIIC coordinated live surveillance footage when a man involved in a car crash in Ferguson got out and started shooting a gun as he walked around.

"We used that technology to keep citizens safe and also the officers responding safe," Ronald says.

In another instance, the RIIC got a license plate reader hit on a car wanted out of Las Vegas for a carjacking.

"Our local police were able to get them stopped and in custody with nobody hurt," Ronald says. "It was a small pursuit with police from O'Fallon and St. Charles County."

One of the most important cases may have prevented a school shooting, Ronald says.

It happened in February, starting with a stabbing at a shopping center parking lot. It was dark and the suspect got away, but he dropped his hat. Quick DNA analysis from the hat led to a suspect who had "a marker for violent crimes."

"We were able to track a person's vehicle and pinpoint that person in the area with license plate reader technology," Ronald says. "During the interview process, he admitted that he was either going to stab someone or shoot up a school."

A new era of crime fighting

Ronald says the RIIC is changing the way many crimes are investigated and how fast they get solved.

"We had another case where we were able to tie a suspect to a homicide within 45 minutes and get him in custody," Ronald says. "It brings to mind the old saying of how the first 48 hours are super crucial. They are, but now it's like the first hour with us is the most crucial."

Hopes to help more schools

In the future, Ronald says the RIIC hopes to get more schools to sign up for a program that allows school surveillance cameras to be viewed by the RIIC.

"This is for emergency use," Ronald says. "So far, a couple of schools share their cameras with the RIIC, and we can see all the hallways, some exterior cameras, and we can use that to combat any type of threat at a school."

Ronald says he's meeting with other school districts to explain the benefits of the program and how grant money is available to pay for the cameras.

Regional collaboration

The RIIC serves as a regional asset. While anchored by the St. Charles County Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department, the RIIC supports municipal partners including O'Fallon PD, St. Peters PD, Lake St. Louis PD, Richmond Heights PD, Chesterfield PD, and many others. This collaboration has led to many successful arrests in cases ranging from theft and burglary to homicide investigations.

St. Louis County Police Chief Colonel Kenneth Gregory is pleased with the award.

"We are incredibly honored to receive this national recognition," Gregory says. "It highlights the critical importance of strong partnerships between law enforcement agencies and, most importantly, helps to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens regionally."

The RIIC is currently located within St. Louis County Police Headquarters. Plans call for moving it to a new facility now under construction near Dorsett and Lindbergh.