Tampa police give inside look of high-tech Gasparilla security operation

While pirates party below, officers watch from above.

Tampa Police opened the doors to their Gasparilla Joint Operations Center on Saturday, to show what it takes to keep the peace for Gasparilla. 

"It just gives us another eye in the sky so to speak," said Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan. "We'll have several different fixed positions throughout the parade route and that's how we plan on keeping things safe and secure." 

Each officer is given a section of the parade route to monitor for suspicious activity, all from the Operations Center. 

"Today's technology, cameras are phenomenal with the things that they can do so we can get up close and personal so to speak and find out what's going on out there," Chief Dugan explained. 

Image 1 of 5

The technology inside the Operations Center allows law enforcement at the Tampa Police Headquarters to communicate in real time with their boots on the ground. 

Chief Dugan said the department is always utilizing the latest technology for the Gasparilla operations, but cameras can only go so far. 

"What we're really going to rely on is citizens out there, or cops on the street. If you see something say something. It's so important," Chief Dugan added.

"We only have so many cops, but when you're looking at such a large crowd, that's who we're going to rely on to really tell us what's going on out there."