Billionaire Chris Larsen's $9.4 million donation to fund new SFPD investigation center
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced Thursday a $9.4 million donation from a crypto billionaire to upgrade the police department's surveillance technology, including a new Real-Time Investigation Center (RTIC).
According to the mayor's office, the donation comes from Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple. With the money, the center will move from its current location at the Hall of Justice to a vacant office in the Financial District.
"It gives the team room to grow and ensures they're fully operational in a crisis. And it puts them right in the heart of downtown, where they can best serve every neighborhood across San Francisco," Lurie said at a press briefing Thursday morning.
Larsen said in a statement, "We are proud to help usher in a new era of accountability with the launch of an enhanced Real-Time Investigation Center for SFPD and law enforcement partners that matches San Francisco's reputation as the innovation capital of the world."
Also known as RTIC, the center brings together live data from drones, surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers, providing first responders with real-time information.
Lurie said the center has helped with more than 500 arrests and prevented numerous police pursuits since its launch in March 2024, including 32 arrests in the past week.
"This is the beginning of a new era of policing in San Francisco," said police chief Bill Scott, who is soon leaving the department to lead the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority police. "Our hard-working officers can continue to drive crime down by identifying and arresting offenders as quickly as possible."
