Springfield finance committee backs recommendation for $7.2 million, five-year Axon package for police cameras, TASERs and software

The Finance Committee of the Springfield City Council on an informational meeting reviewed a proposed five-year, $7.2 million technology package from Axon that would replace the Springfield Police Department's body-worn cameras, outfit up to 350 officers with cameras and TASERs, and supply an integrated records and professional-standards software suite.

Superintendent Lawrence Acres said the package addresses long-standing technology gaps in the department and summarized the headline cost: "The elephant in the room is $7,200,000 over five years," he said, adding the proposal grew from a committee review that began about eight months ago.

Committee members and city finance staff said the purchase aims to replace the department's aging equipment, reduce siloed software systems and help the city remain compliant with its Department of Justice settlement agreement.

Acres told the committee the current vendor, Gtech, has produced systems the department finds incompatible with other tools and requires frequent repairs; the review compared Gtech with Motorola and Axon. "Axon met all three needs for the new body-worn cameras, TASERs and the software that we would be needing," Acres said, describing Axon as offering an…