The Amarillo Police Department (APD) marked a major milestone on Friday with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Amarillo Regional Crime Center (ARCC)—a cutting-edge facility designed to enhance public safety, improve officer response, and revolutionize law enforcement capabilities across the Texas Panhandle.
The event was attended by Amarillo city leadership and City Council members, whom the APD publicly thanked for their support in making this ambitious vision a reality.
A Game Changer for Public Safety
The ARCC is expected to be a cornerstone of the city's public safety strategy, equipped with advanced tools that allow officers to respond more effectively to incidents in real time. According to APD, the facility will not only serve Amarillo but also benefit departments across the 26 counties in the Texas Panhandle.
Lt. Shane Chadwick, Commander of the ARCC, emphasized how the center will play a critical role in both officer and public safety by providing state-of-the-art technology for real-time crime response and enhanced training programs.
Real-Time Crime Monitoring & Officer Safety Enhancements
One of the most notable features of the ARCC is its live-streaming capabilities through officers’ body cameras. This means that during active or violent crime situations, the ARCC can receive a live feed instantly—either manually activated or triggered automatically when an officer draws their firearm or taser.
Lt. Chadwick explained how this feature will act as an immediate alert system:
“It turns my body cam on and lets everybody know via FUSUS that I’ve pulled my gun out. So, it lets everybody know, ‘Hey, this officer is probably in trouble or he’s in some kind of maybe an officer-involved shooting.’”
This type of instant information-sharing will allow responding officers and command staff to assess situations more quickly and provide backup when needed, reducing response times and increasing overall situational awareness.
Next-Level Training Through Virtual & Augmented Reality
Beyond real-time monitoring, the ARCC also introduces innovative training opportunities for officers through virtual and augmented reality simulations.
Lt. Chadwick highlighted that this new approach to training will ensure continuous education for both recruits and veteran officers, allowing them to practice in highly realistic scenarios without requiring in-person training exercises.
“Virtual training allows these guys to train at any time, all the time, so it gives a constant flow of training that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. You can see existing structures, it can show you threats, ways to de-escalate, and multiple different ideas,” said Lt. Chadwick.
A Safer, More Efficient Future for Amarillo
The APD expressed its deep gratitude to both the City of Amarillo and its residents for supporting this major step forward in law enforcement modernization. Officials are confident that the ARCC will enhance officer safety, improve response efficiency, and ultimately help create a safer Amarillo for everyone.
