The Security Industry Association (SIA) is the leading trade association for security solutions, technology providers, and public safety innovation. Known for its research, standards development, and thought leadership, SIA plays a crucial role in helping agencies, integrators, and technology companies understand where the industry is heading. Constant has been a SIA corporate member since 2021.
ISC East is the Northeast’s premier security and public safety conference, hosted in collaboration with SIA. The 2025 event continued to grow as a meeting place for technology providers, public safety agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and industry decision-makers.
This year’s theme centered on operational resilience, intelligence sharing, and emerging technology. Kaz Daughtry, the NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, spoke during ISC East’s Day 1 keynote session.
Keynote: Kaz Daughtry on Securing an 8.5-Million-Person City
Kaz Daughtry brings a unique blend of operational experience and policy leadership. With 20+ years at the NYPD, from police cadet to Deputy Commissioner of Operations, and now overseeing public safety coordination across corrections, emergency management, the FDNY, probation, and more, his message was grounded, practical, and deeply mission-driven.
“Public safety and technology are inseparable.”
With 8.5 million+ residents, 65 million+ annual visitors, 472 subway stations, non-stop events, protests, parades, mental-health emergencies, terrorism risks, and cyber threats, New York City’s complexity requires real-time coordination across dozens of agencies.
Daughtry explained that technology is no longer optional. It’s the backbone that enables responders to “work smarter, not harder” during a time of staffing shortages, retirements, and record emergency call volumes (nearly 9 million 911 calls per year).
Key Takeaways from Daughtry’s Strategy for a Safer NYC
Daughtry efficiently covered many topics during his keynote session at ISC East 2025.
Public Safety Collaboration
NYC’s safety strategy relies on precision, data, and real-time coordination across:
- The Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC)
- The Emergency Management EOC
- The FDNY Operations Center
- The Department of Correction
- 12+ law enforcement agencies
- Social services like the Department of Homeless Services
These centers form a 24/7 network that turns thousands of data streams into actionable intelligence.
Daughtry shared that today’s operators are accessing Domain Awareness System feeds, license plate reader hits, mobile data, and sensor intelligence instantly, whether in a command center or on their devices in the field.
Drone as First Responder (DFR) Model
NYC’s drone program is one of the nation’s most advanced urban Drone as First Responder (DFR) models.
Highlights from NYC’s DFR program:
- First-in-the-nation FAA authorization to fly beyond visual line of sight (2024)
- Five precinct rooftop launch sites
- 40 deployments per day
- 2.5-minute average arrival time
- 700+ criminal apprehensions supported in 2025
Drones also support:
- Accident reconstruction
- Subway safety and “subway surfing” deterrence
- Lifeguard operations through flotation drops
- Hostile drone mitigation
- Fire response
- Situational awareness for RTCCs and EOCs
- 911 integration allowing residents and dispatchers to view live drone feeds
The overwhelming results have shifted internal skepticism to widespread operational buy-in.
A Push toward Smart Operations Centers and 911 Systems
NYC’s upcoming Next-Gen 911 modernization will transform the nation’s largest emergency call center into a fully digital, IP-based system capable of:
- Accepting real-time photos and media
- Improving location accuracy
- Speeding routing and response
- Delivering richer intelligence directly to RTCCs and field officers
This is part of a broader move toward smarter, more adaptive command centers with built-in analytics, digital infrastructure, and AI-enhanced tools.
Public-Private Partnerships Accelerate Innovation
Daughtry stressed that collaboration with technology companies allows NYC to:
- Test solutions faster by avoiding bureaucratic delays
- Validate tools in real-world environments
- Build shared safety networks across retail, corporate, and residential sectors
Transparency, Privacy, and Trust with Technology
Technology without trust, Daughtry noted, cannot succeed. As capabilities expand, NYC is emphasizing:
- Public posting of impact and AI action plans
- Dashboards explaining how tools are used
- Clear rules for body cameras, sensors, and data platforms
- Honest conversations about privacy expectations in dense urban environments
How NYC’s Model Reinforces the Need for Modern RTCCs and Drone Rooms
Kaz Daughtry’s keynote emphasized that modern cities, even mid-sized jurisdictions, will not be able to keep pace without a real-time intelligence environment.
Agencies need RTCCs that:
- Combine data from multiple systems
- Provide instant situational awareness
- Push intelligence to officers and command staff
- Coordinate multi-agency response
- Serve as the nerve center for drones, robotics, Next-Gen 911, and more
Agencies are seeking dedicated Drone Rooms or DFR infrastructure that:
- Integrate with command centers
- Provide controlled launch/landing workflows
- Maintain high-availability feeds
- Support training, storage, and fleet management
NYC serves as a visible case study of challenges that many communities are facing.
Looking Ahead
Whether a jurisdiction has 80,000 people or 8 million, the mission is the same: detect earlier, respond faster, make better decisions, and protect human life.
Real-Time Crime Centers, drone operations, robotics, digital 911 platforms, and integrated emergency operations are not isolated tools. Together, they form the technology behind modern public safety.
The future is not about adopting technology for technology’s sake; it’s about building spaces that allow responders to succeed in the moments that matter most.
Other agencies have an opportunity to design an RTCC in a way that fits their own mission, geography, and community expectations.
If your agency is planning an RTCC, a drone operations room, or mission-critical command center, the foundation matters. From video wall systems and visualization platforms to ergonomic consoles, workflow-driven layouts, and fully integrated infrastructure, Constant specializes designing and installing security operations centers. Our team has supported public safety agencies of all sizes; if you are exploring a new build or upgrade, we’re here to help.
