Police present real-time crime technologies and council approves two-year Raven gunshot-detection contract

Ryan Lawrence, supervisor of the Real Time Crime Center, and Chief Bowen told the City Council on June 18 that the center uses gunshot-detection sensors, public-safety cameras and license-plate readers (LPRs) to provide real-time support to officers and investigative leads.

Lawrence said the gunshot-detection system sends a five-second audio snippet when it detects potential gunfire and narrows response zones for officers. He said the City retains non-investigative audio and camera footage for 30 days, shorter than the 90 days allowed by Tennessee law, and that only authorized crime-center personnel may access live and recorded footage. “We can listen to that audio clip,” Lawrence said, describing how the system helps crews find shell casings and assess injuries quickly.

Lawrence said LPRs capture still images of vehicles and license plates on public roadways, can provide real-time alerts for stolen vehicles or missing persons, and do not perform facial recognition or collect personal identifiers such as names or Social Security numbers. He said LPR and camera data are automatically deleted after 30 days unless retained for an active investigation, and that eight department employees have search access for valid investigative reasons.

Chief Bowen described checks and controls on system use and said crime-center searches are auditable. He credited the technologies with operational results through the first quarter of 2026, citing 652 operational “successes,” 140 cleared cases and 129 arrests of wanted persons assisted by the center. He and Lawrence described several recent cases in which LPRs and camera footage generated leads and helped identify suspects shortly after incidents.

During Q&A, council members and a citizen asked who audits the system and how privacy is protected. Lawrence and Bowen said internal policies, limited access, audit logs and documentation support oversight; Bowen said he receives updates from the crime-center supervisor and relies on that reporting in addition to established policies and procedures.

Later in the meeting, the council considered and approved a two‑year, $243,898 contract with FLoC Group for Raven gunshot-detection service. The first installment of $131,398 is provided for in the police department’s FY27 operating budget; the second installment of $112,500 will be budgeted in FY28.