Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vernon Hills approves $164,183 contract for Axon ‘Draft 1’ to speed police report writing
Summary
The Village Board approved a 32‑month, $164,182.92 contract with Axon for Draft 1, an AI‑assisted transcription and initial report‑drafting service tied to body‑worn camera audio; police officials said it saves officers time on paperwork and includes safeguards requiring officer review.
The Vernon Hills Village Board on April 15 approved an ordinance authorizing a no‑bid contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. for Draft 1, an AI‑assisted tool that transcribes body‑worn camera audio and generates initial police‑report drafts, at a total cost not to exceed $164,182.92. The contract term aligns with the village’s existing Axon agreements through January 2028.
Commander Chris Burmaster, who led the presentation, said Draft 1 “allows us to transcribe, summarize, and generate the initial draft of a report just based on the body camera footage,” and added the tool produces a structured opening that officers can edit. He told the board the department’s trial of the software showed an average savings of about 20 minutes per report, which he said reduces overtime and returns officers to patrol sooner.
Burmaster described safeguards intended to maintain officer responsibility: officers must review and edit the AI’s output, “touch every single paragraph of the report and make a change,” and sign off that the report “accurately reflects their interaction.” The police chief said transcripts are generated on certified law‑enforcement servers the department already uses and that generated drafts are deleted after officers copy or save required material.
Costs and contract timing were detailed: the total contract is $164,182.92, with roughly $54,000 due in May. The department said the service had been in trial for several months and is expected to reduce time spent on paperwork, improve standardization of report language, and assist officers for whom English is a second language.
Trustees voted to approve ordinance 2025‑055 by roll call. The board’s approval authorizes staff to execute the contract and proceed with implementation under the conditions described by police staff.
The measure passed following questions from trustees about privacy, officer verification, and the expected savings; police staff said the tool operates within existing evidence systems and that officers retain final responsibility for report content.
