Largest Body Camera Order Ever
The San Antonio Police Department has just entered into a five-year contract with TASER International (TASR) which will provide 2,200 Axon Flex body cameras running on Axon Signal technology. The body cameras also come with a subscription to evidence.com, which serves as a portal for police departments to collect and share body camera pictures and videos.
The agreement includes three optional one-year extensions. Axon has also recently entered into agreements with the Wichita Police Department for 429 cameras and the Memphis Please Department for 2,000 Axon Flex body cameras.
The main driver in the push for body cameras comes in the wake of a nationwide outbreak of amateur videos showing police officers allegedly using excessive force against suspects in some instances. According to one pilot study by the Orlando Police Department, use of Axon body cameras led to a 53% reduction in the use of force and a 65% drop in complaints by citizens when body cameras were worn by police officers. The Cleveland Police Department recently reported a 40% drop in complaints due to its body cameras.
Axon Technologies has a growing suite of products and services called the Connected Mobile App Suite that augments body cameras with capture, view, and live streaming video by smartphones. According to San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus, “with today’s announcement to outfit all of our officers with body cameras, we are bringing a new level of trust and transparency to policing.”
Body cameras are part of a new digital evidence tools trend. The following video illustrates the experience of the Cleveland Police Department.
