TAMPA, Fla. — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take over downtown Tampa on Saturday for Gasparilla. The huge turnout for the pirate invasion and parade makes the event one of the busiest times of year for law enforcement.

Before a sea of pirates takes over Bayshore Boulevard, law enforcement is gearing up to respond to any potential emergencies. Police typically patrol on foot, bike and boat. But, there's also a team stationed inside the Tampa Police Department's Real Time Crime Center, where cameras and other technology give officers a birds-eye view of the crowd.

“We all come together, we work in the same room so we can share information and try to expedite getting that information to people who are working in the field, get them the best quality and the best information as fast as possible so that we can keep everybody safe," Cpl. Erica Collum said. 

In years past, this type of technology has helped officers locate children who become separated from their families in the crowd, as well as quickly direct ambulances to respond to medical emergencies.

“It helps because we are not distracted by some of the things that officers in the field may have to deal with," Collum said. "Sometimes they have to meet with people and conduct interviews, sometimes they are looking for something specific and or driving a vehicle.”

Collum said the Real Time Crime Center stays busy responding to calls from sunup to sundown on Gasparilla day. Officers rotate in shifts to keep everyone alert and focused so the pirates below can have a fun and safe time.

"If you do have to call for help, the best thing you can do is make sure you’re paying attention to where you’re at location wise – the intersections, the street signs, if you’re on the water side or the land side – because if there is on emergency and people do have to call for assistance, that helps us find you a whole lot faster."

Police also encourage attendees to report any safety concerns throughout the day.