TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Rachel Johnson, Chief of Police
Christian Eichenlaub, Police Captain
Julie Dahlgren, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Five-Year Agreement with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for Body Worn Cameras, Digital Evidence Management, and Fusus Software and Hardware Integration in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $955,537 (Police Chief Johnson).
A) WAIVE FORMAL BIDDING
B) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 24-0078
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
a) Waive formal bidding per Municipal Code Section 2.36.140 (waivers); and
b) Adopt Resolution No. 24-0078 approving a five-year agreement with Axon Enterprises, Inc. to provide body-worn cameras, digital evidence management, and Fusus software and hardware integration in an amount not to exceed $955,537.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost of services in FY 2024-2025 is $183,463. Sufficient funds are included in the Police Department’s FY 2024-2025 budget and will be budgeted accordingly in future years.
BACKGROUND:
The Police Department began using body-worn camera technology in January 2016 and has been using Axon body-worn cameras and digital evidence management since February 2018. The use of body-worn cameras serves as an effective tool for law enforcement agencies to demonstrate commitment to transparency, ensure the accountability of its members, increase the public's trust in officers, and protect department members from unjustified complaints of misconduct. The typical lifespan for a body-worn camera is two and a half to three years. Replacement of body-worn cameras is critical to officer safety, accountability, and transparency. Our current agreement with Axon expires on July 14, 2024.
In June 2022, the City began using Fusus technology (acquired by Axon in January 2024) to aggregate live video feed and investigative data from multiple City systems and sources into one convenient cloud-based location. By connecting small devices called Fusus Cores to existing camera systems, law enforcement can securely access video feeds from anywhere. Aggregating camera feeds into one location aids in intelligence gathering and developing investigative leads. The Cores eliminate the need for certain digital video recorders, provide efficiencies in video retrieval, and offer redundancy to video storage solutions.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve the five-year agreement with Axon Enterprises to provide hardware, implementation, and software licensing for body-worn cameras, digital evidence management, and the Fusus platform.
Under Municipal Code Section 2.36.140, City Council can waive purchasing procedures to fit a specific purchase when such waiver is not in violation of state law. The recommended purchase is not open to competitive bidding because of the unique nature of the goods and software services provided by Axon. Axon is the only provider of the Axon Body 4 Cameras, Evidence.com Data Management solution, and Fusus platform, which include the following characteristics.
Axon Body 4 Camera & Dock
• Video playback on mobile devices in the field
• Retina low light capability
• Audio tones and haptic (vibration) notification to alert user of usage
• Audio mute during event option
• Wi-Fi capability
• Up to 2-minute buffering period to record footage before pressing record button
• 13+ hours of battery operation per shift (even in recording mode)
• LED lights to show current battery level and operating mode
• 160-degree field of view
• Docking station which charges the camera and uploads data simultaneously
Axon Evidence.com Data Management System
• Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model that allows agencies to manage and share digital evidence without the need for local storage infrastructure or IT staff involvement
• Securely share digital evidence with other agencies or prosecutors without creating copies or data leaving our agency’s domain of control
• Controlled access to evidence
• Multi-factor password authentication
• Automated evidence retention policies assist with database management
• Ability to recover deleted evidence within seven days of deletion
• Stores and supports all major digital file types: .mpeg, .doc, .pdf, .jpeg, etc.
• Robust Transport Layer Security (TLS) implementation for data in transit and 256-bit AES encryption for data in storage
• Independent security firms perform in-depth security and penetration testing
• Disaster-tolerant infrastructure with 4 redundant data centers in the United States
• Audit logs automatically track all system and user activity to show chain-of-custody. These logs cannot be edited or deleted, even by account administrators and IT staff
• Redact videos easily within the system, create tags, markers and clips, create cases for multiple evidence files
• Dedicated information security department that protects data with security monitoring, centralized event log analysis, threat and intrusion protection, and incident response capabilities
Fusus Platform
• Real-time video accessibility, compatible with over 1,000 camera and camera software manufacturers, including UAV and public safety video assets that may already be in use
• CJIS Compliant Cloud Based Management (AWS Gov Cloud)
• Policy-based sharing rules engine, including a complete chain of custody report of video access by user
• Real-Time Integration with the Computer Aided Dispatch Software (CAD) for automatic display of calls for service in relation to live and recorded video based on priority and type
• Apple iOS and Android App for Live and Recorded View and Sharing of Incident Video
• Encrypted and secure tunnel of user-selectable video feeds from video-sharing locations
• Auto-Discovery of all cameras on a network, user-selectable for sharing with the department’s real-time crime interface, fūsusONE
• Plug and Play Setup by the video host locations, not requiring project management by the Department
• Interoperability with Existing IP Cameras and NVRs/Servers for items such as drone, license plate recognition, and fixed location video
This agreement will allow the Police Department to stay up to date with the latest in law enforcement technology to best serve our community. The agreement includes two Department-wide body-worn camera equipment refreshes, on-site spare units, and warranty coverage. There are other vendors who provide some of these product features and services independently, but no other vendor provides the entire suite of hardware, software, and services.
Staff recommends that the City Council waive formal bidding and adopt Resolution No. 24-0078 approving a five-year contract with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for body-worn cameras and digital evidence management with an estimated value of $955,537. The City may cancel the contract at any time without cause.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved the agreement as to form.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 24-0078
2. Agreement - Axon Enterprises, Inc.