KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) reported that they have begun receiving new equipment, including new body cameras and tasers.
This news comes after a spending plan was reached with the County Board of Commissioners last week, during which Undersheriff James VanDyken explained that the department will be covering the costs out of their own budget, as well as the need for new equipment.
Now, the department is announcing that it has entered an agreement with the company Axon, which will provide the equipment. The department will deploy 60 Axon Body 3 cameras and TASER 7 devices on its road patrol officers.
These two pieces of equipment are part of a five-year Officer Safety Plan 7+ (OSP 7+) contract that KCSO has entered with Axon. That plan includes plans for three upgrades, according to VanDyken.
“When the camera that we have now becomes outdated, or a better camera gets upgraded, we get those as part of the package,” VanDyken said last week. “That is very important because technology changes quickly, and we want to have the most current product available.”
In addition to the body cameras and tasers, the contract includes several products on the Axon network, including the following:
- Virtual Reality empathy training,
- Axon Interview Room,
- the new advanced AI-powered tool, “Redaction Assistant,” and
- the public evidence submission tool, “Axon Citizen for Communities.”
“The Sheriff’s Office has begun to receive the body camera equipment as well as the TASER 7 devices,” Sheriff Richard Fuller said in a statement. “The body worn cameras will be deployed as soon as possible. The cameras will allow for protection of the deputies and the citizens we serve which will enhance our ability to capture events for transparency to the community.”
Officials with Axon are also weighing in on the contract.
“It is great to see agencies harnessing all the benefits of the Axon network with OSP 7+,” Axon CEO and founder Rick Smith said in a statement. “We are committed to providing our customers the most cutting edge, officer-centric products that help officers protect their communities.”
Details for the new equipment were provided as follows:
Axon Body 3 camera:
Axon Body 3 is LTE-enabled and designed for officer and community safety. Its features include evidence previews, prioritized wireless upload capabilities, and more. The camera also includes improved low-light image clarity and audio technology.
Axon’s real-time situational awareness technology, Axon Aware, is embedded in the Axon Body 3 camera. This new technology is meant to fill the information gaps with a network of intelligent, connected devices, including real-time alerts and real-time location tracking.
The live streaming capabilities allow for authorized users to view critical incidents that are happening in the field in real-time, so resources can be deployed more efficiently.
Last week, VanDyken explained that the cameras also have the ability to automatically turn themselves on should a gun or taser be drawn by an officer.
TASER 7:
Officials say The TASER 7 is Axon’s most effective less-lethal device to date. The TASER 7 is equipped with services that are integrated into Axon Evidence, including wireless device management, self-reporting and general visibility into the health of the device. The TASER 7 also offers optimized close-quarter and stand-off cartridges.
Axon VR Training:
Axon’s VR training is offered through Axon Academy, a network of online and in-person training for law enforcement. The VR training program is designed to better equip officers with the tools to de-escalate situations involving people suffering from mental health issues, crises or psychotic episodes.
The VR curriculum currently includes scenarios for autism, schizophrenia and suicide prevention training with more topics being rolled out later this year.
Cloud Storage:
Completed interviews are securely stored and managed alongside all other types of digital evidence at the equipped department. All interview metadata is retained on the Axon Evidence platform for efficient search and retrieval.
Last week, VanDyken also talked about the cloud storage for evidence. He said this upgrade means that no additional processes, such as burning a DVD, would be required.
“The cloud-based storage keeps that for basically as long as we want it,” VanDyken said. “If it’s a major event or an event that we need to completely hold on to, we would put it on a DVD or storage device and place it in our evidence room, so we would have it indefinitely.”
The new equipment plan drew praise from County Commissioners when presented to the board, including Commissioner Stephanie Moore.
“I think this is a big step forward in building trust with the community, especially for those who have had encounters with law enforcement where the view was different in terms of what happened, which also played a big role in the outcome,” Moore said. “I think with the outcry of the community, particularly over the last couple of months, you all listening and responding in this manner to bring forth this technology shows that there is some intention here to do better work on behalf of all of our community.”
She added that it’s a good move for accountability and transparency.
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