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Broken Arrow police outline plan to expand cameras, license-plate readers and staffing for a real-time center
Summary
Chief Arnold and staff described a multi-year plan to expand fixed-site surveillance, license-plate readers and a staffed Real Time Information Center that will centralize video and LPR feeds from intersections, city facilities and voluntary private partners.
The Broken Arrow Police Department presented the scope and rationale for a multi-year Real Time Information Center build-out at the City Council meeting Tuesday.
Chief Arnold and staff described an ecosystem already under way and plans to expand it to 30 intersections, with multiple stationary and PTZ cameras per intersection, additional fixed and mobile cameras for special events, and partnerships to ingest voluntary camera feeds from schools, businesses and homeowners associations.
What the city currently has: Chief Arnold said initial implementation began in mid-2023. The department now monitors nine high-activity locations and most city facilities and parks. Trisha Cook, the department's new Real Time Information Center manager, has been hired and is developing policy and training manuals.
How the system is used: Arnold described both proactive and after-the-fact uses. "We've had hits that are on violent criminals that are passing through our city, and then certainly we've had after the fact," Arnold said. He told council examples ranging from Amber Alerts and missing persons to vehicle identification after thefts, which detectives used to locate suspects rapidly.
Privacy, partnerships and funding: The presentation stressed the voluntary nature of many feeds and noted signs are used in monitored areas. Arnold said HOAs often procure cameras and feed them into the city's system; homeowners may also opt in voluntarily. Funding currently includes internal capital improvement funds, some grant funding, contributions from private partners (including a named convenience-store partner) and payments from streets for traffic-management hardware.
Staffing and schedule: The goal is coverage at 30 intersections with a camera complement of four stationary and one PTZ per intersection, plus additional mobile units. The department has budgeted implementation, training and staffing phases and will return periodically with status updates.
Council response: Council members expressed support, citing officer safety, crime prevention and the department's experience in other cities. The mayor noted the system's use in Tulsa and other jurisdictions.
Where this came from: Chief Arnold's presentation and Q&A to council on May 6, 2025, plus remarks by Mayor and council members.
