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Goodland commission ends Digital Ally contract, approves Axon body‑camera deal
Summary
After department complaints about missing and unreliable footage, the commission voted to terminate its Digital Ally contract and approve a five‑year, $254,305 Axon agreement with payments deferred to January 2027.
The Goodland City Commission voted to terminate its contract with Digital Ally and approve a five‑year contract with Axon for body‑worn and vehicle cameras, citing repeated technical failures with the existing system.
Police Chief Earhart told commissioners the department had experienced sporadic dash‑cam and body‑cam failures that interfered with prosecutions and evidence collection. “We’ve been missing videos,” Earhart said, describing instances when recordings could not be located or devices powered off unexpectedly. Assistant Chief Wright and several officers described Axon’s “Draft 1” feature and faster upload workflow as significant operational improvements.
City staff said Axon agreed to defer the city’s first payment until January 2027 to allow budgeting time. City staff reported a total contract cost of $254,305 to be spread over five years through January 2030; the city attorney and other staff also cited a $10,000 contribution toward startup costs from the county attorney’s office.
Commissioner Redland moved to terminate the Digital Ally contract and approve the Axon agreement; Commissioner Howard seconded. The motion carried on roll call.
The commission and police leaders framed the change as a reliability and public‑safety issue: Earhart said officers already prefer the Axon devices and that working equipment is “almost required” in modern policing. The city manager said staff would integrate the new cost into the 2027 budget year.
Next steps: staff will finalize contractual paperwork and schedule implementation with the police department.
