Morgan County approves 9-1-1 software, Axon upgrade to be paid from opioid settlement

The Morgan County Commission on April 15 approved purchases to upgrade the county 9-1-1 center’s software and to add an Axon integration, to be paid from the county’s opioid settlement funds.

County staff said the package — a five‑year CC Aware license and hardware bundle for the communications center — and a separate Axon integration will let dispatchers link live camera feeds and license‑plate readers to 9-1-1 calls, automatically tag and associate multiple body‑camera recordings with a single incident, and reduce manual evidence‑labeling work for law‑enforcement and the prosecutor’s office.

Why it matters: staff said the automation will speed evidence handling and situational awareness during active incidents, and could reduce hours spent manually labeling and compiling video for court. Prosecutors and law enforcement will be able to see multiple linked camera feeds for a single case sooner, staff said, reducing discovery mismatches when additional footage surfaces after prosecutors have already released materials.

Details presented at the meeting: Marshall, a communications‑center staff member, outlined features that include live streaming from participating business cameras (an opt‑in “edge device”), integration with LPRs (license‑plate readers), automated linking of body‑camera footage to incident cases, and a panic/notification app for schools and other organizations. Marshall and other staff said the CC Aware bundle includes the server/computer to run the system and five years of licensing.

The board discussed estimated costs and funding. Staff gave two figures for the CC Aware package during the presentation: $43,128.62 (package price presented earlier in the discussion) and a slightly different figure offered orally during the motion; the Commission motion recorded an amount in the same range and directed payment from opioid settlement funds. The board also approved a separate Axon proposal for $10,386 that staff said would run 53 months and align with the county’s existing Axon contract.

Commissioners asked how the technology would be used and raised typical privacy and cost questions; staff emphasized that business cameras would be opt‑in and that only cameras inside a named perimeter or those actively associated with a 9‑1‑1 call would be visible to dispatchers. Staff also said the county has discussed integrating Motorola cameras (used by some local agencies) and that vendor coordination would be required because Axon and Motorola products are separate ecosystems.

The Commission voted to approve the purchases and the opioid‑settlement funding source. The motion was approved by voice vote.

Next steps: staff said implementation will require vendor setup and coordination with the sheriff’s office and local police agencies. Officials said Motorola assistance may be required for some integrations and that the county will seek grant or settlement money where allowable to reduce the county’s general‑fund exposure.