San Francisco accepts $9.4M Ripple grant to launch high-tech Real-Time Investigation Center
San Francisco, California – San Francisco is getting closer to a big public safety boost now that Mayor Daniel Lurie signed a bill that officially accepts a $9.4 million grant from Ripple. This is a big step toward opening the city’s new Real-Time Investigation Center (RTIC) headquarters.
The new RTIC building, which Ripple is giving to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) in downtown San Francisco, will provide them a much-needed technical boost. The area will have new surveillance equipment and real-time data systems that will help officers in the field and speed up their response times to crime. The San Francisco Police Community Foundation and Crankstart are also giving money for new equipment, in addition to the Ripple donation.
“With our new RTIC headquarters, my administration is doing what San Franciscans want: doubling down on using technology smartly and responsibly to keep our city safe,” said Mayor Lurie. “Thank you to Chris Larsen and Ripple for their continued partnership in supporting San Francisco’s police officers and improving public safety in our city.”
The news builds on the excitement that started in the summer when Mayor Lurie, Ripple Co-founder Chris Larsen, and SFPD leaders showed off the RTIC project. The city’s crime rate is said to have dropped by over 30%, thus the administration is using technology and strategic staffing to help with the “Rebuilding the Ranks” effort, which aims to fill police vacancies while making the city safer.
“San Francisco should be the shining example of how to leverage state-of-the-art, coordinated public safety technology and with the right pragmatic safeguards in place,” said Chris Larsen, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ripple, Inc. “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.”
The RTIC has already done quite well where it is now, in the Hall of Justice. Since it started in 2024, it has helped make more than 500 arrests and cut down on car theft by 41%. At the same time, arrests for car theft have gone up by 46%. But the original building has old wiring and infrastructure, so a new, better-equipped headquarters is needed.
President Rafael Mandelman and Supervisors Matt Dorsey, Joel Engardio, Danny Sauter, and Stephen Sherrill were among the Board of Supervisors who co-sponsored the bill. They said that the relationship between public agencies and private benefactors was key to solving San Francisco’s most important problems.
“SFPD’s implementation of surveillance technology has been an absolute game changer to make San Francisco safer and to hold criminals accountable,” said Supervisor Dorsey.
Interim Police Chief Paul Yep agreed, stating that the department is “excited and ready” to use the new building to make investigations better and make the area safer for both residents and visitors.
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Voters helped make the Real-Time Investigation Center expansion feasible. In March 2024, they supported Proposition E, which gave the SFPD more power to use surveillance technology. The RTIC helps law enforcement in real time with resources like drones, automated license plate scanners, and public safety cameras. These tools will be much better in the new facility.
The new RTIC headquarters is a real step toward a safer, smarter city as San Francisco continues to deal with crime and public safety with a mix of staffing solutions and new technology.
