Council authorizes switch to Axon in‑car cameras after failures in L3 system
Loading...
Summary
Richmond City Council approved purchasing Axon in‑car camera systems citing failures and end of support for the existing L3 system; council waived purchasing rules and authorized a five‑year plan with an annual payment of $15,015.79 for six vehicle units.
Richmond City Council voted to authorize purchasing Axon in‑car camera equipment and to waive standard purchasing‑ordinance requirements after police described reliability and support problems with the department’s existing L3 system.
Police Chief Costello told the council the city’s L3 in‑car camera system is no longer supported by the manufacturer and has failed to capture footage on at least two recent arrests, which could expose officers and the city to liability. “Over the last couple of months, there's been at least 2 arrests that were not captured on the in car camera system when it should have been,” Costello said. He also said downloads required by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office can take more than an hour and that the L3 redaction tools are inadequate compared with Axon’s software.
The motion approved by council waived the purchasing ordinance provision identified in the agenda (section 64‑53(d)) and authorized purchase of six Axon in‑car cameras at $15,015.79 per year, charged to the Police Department’s equipment acquisition line. Costello presented two five‑year quotes from Axon — $58,107.60 and $66,337.20 — the larger reflecting a “plus tap” option that includes replacement cameras and updated software at the end of the agreement. Axon representatives agreed to prorate the first payment to apply approximately $400 to the current fiscal year (FY 2024–25) to begin installation.
Council members noted the existing L3 equipment is old; Sergeant Kacenowski was referenced when the council confirmed the vehicles’ systems have been in service for more than 10 years. The presentation also noted only three patrol vehicles currently have rear‑facing cameras; the proposed Axon installation includes rear‑facing units on all six vehicles in the purchase.
A motion to waive the purchasing requirement and purchase the Axon equipment passed on roll call. The council instructed staff to charge the expense to the Police Department equipment acquisition line and proceed with installation and subscription setup under the five‑year pricing structure.
Council action recorded: motion to waive purchasing ordinance requirements under section 64‑53(d) and authorize purchase of six Axon in‑car cameras at $15,015.79 per year (five‑year plan).
