Deputy Chief King told the Springfield City Public Safety Committee the police department will transition to a bundled Axon system of body-worn cameras, tasers and accompanying software modules that the department expects to enable new forms for use-of-force reporting, internal-investigation tracking, early-intervention tools and third-party video submission.

"We're gonna be switching over, from 1 type of body worn camera to a new, new vendor... That company's name is Axon," Deputy Chief King said, adding the purchase bundles cameras, tasers and a suite of apps for citizen reporting and internal forms.

King described features that will be phased in over months: barcode scans that witnesses can use on-scene to upload information, integration with drone footage, field-training-officer evaluation forms and an early intervention system for internal investigations. He said the department will start by issuing cameras and tasers and then toggle additional software modules over the next six to nine months.

On staffing and training, King said the police academy will graduate 46 recruits on May 1, "the largest class that we've had in quite a while," and that graduates will enter field-training programs and be paired with seasoned officers; he said walking beats and bicycle patrols are part of planned community engagement.

King also described operational work on recurring summer issues such as off-road dirt bikes. He said the department gathers intelligence through social media and other channels and has a number of initiatives planned. When a committee member asked how a constituent report to the city 311 system is relayed to the police, King advised that 311 is not designed for immediate response and recommended callers use the department nonemergency number for matters that may require a timelier police follow-up, while preserving anonymity options when available.

Council members raised community concerns about police involvement in immigration enforcement. Councilor Whitfield (transcript: Winfield/Whitfield) said she had received calls alleging police assisted ICE raids. King and other department leaders said the department reissued the city ordinance to officers, tracked acknowledgment when officers read the policy, and instructed supervisors to be called to the scene if such a situation arises. King said the department will assist other agencies if someone is in danger but reiterated limits on immigration inquiries.

Councilor Davila summarized the ordinance and its exception: a person may be handed over to federal authorities only if there is a warrant "duly signed by a judge," he said. King said the department will follow existing policy and reemphasized training and in-service reminders.

Committee members asked when the bundled Axon services and the related city contract would be fully integrated; King said cameras and tasers will be deployed first and the rest of the modules will be activated over several months. A committee member referenced a council-approved funding amount discussed earlier in council proceedings but did not provide a confirmed procurement figure at the meeting.