Folsom PD continues with Axon Tasers, cameras

The Folsom City Council agreed this week to continue contracting with Axon Enterprises for police cameras and Tasers. Folsom has had a five-year lease for body cameras and in-car cameras with Axon to provide officers with a reliable and compact tool to record field observations and encounters. Taser electronic control devices were included in the contract. "The cameras have proven successful for documentation purposes, to include interactions with victims, witnesses and others during police-public encounters, arrests and critical incidents," said Police Chief Adam Green in his City Council report. "Body-worn cameras can also be used for training and evaluation, allowing PD to identify and address performance deficiencies with officers." The renewal of the contract for another five years increases the costs by about 10 percent, staff said. The deal reflects an annual increase of $31,000 for a $1.7 million total. The new contract also includes analytical, cloud-based software to better observe officers in the field and provide supervisors with tools for oversight. A virtual reality training platform designed for reinforcing de-escalation techniques and proper use of force will be included in the contract. Axon is the manufacturer of Taser, deployed by Folsom Police officers for more than a decade and the electronic control device of choice for law enforcement agencies across the nation, said Green. Axon's firmly established relationship with law enforcement allowed it to move into the in-car camera and body-worn camera industry. As technology advanced, Axon began integrating all three technologies and now integrates additional software-based tools to manage the inventory and oversee tool use. "The Axon products have proven reliable, are accepted and integrated with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office and the infrastructure is already in place," Green said in the report. The renewal agreement would be for a five-year term not to exceed $1,705,343, staff said. The deal would take effect in Fiscal Year 2026-27 and will continue to be funded through the general fund, staff said. The City Council unanimously approved the deal during the non-controversial consent agenda April 28.