Fayette council weighs Axon Taser 10 lease and VR training package for police

The Fayette City Council heard detailed testimony about a proposal to lease AxonTaser 10 devices and an associated virtual-reality (VR) training package for the police department, a presentation the training sergeant called a chance to modernize equipment and expand in-house training.

Sergeant Roberts, the police departmenttraining officer, told the council that the vendorquote for the first year is about $16,668 and that Axon offered to roll the remaining balance of the current lease into the new agreement and to certify five local instructors. "Year 1 is $16,668," Sergeant Roberts said, adding that Axon required a roughly 10% first-year down payment (about $1,700) and would supply upgrades and replacement parts under the lease.

He described operational features the department emphasized: the Taser 10 uses a cartridge with multiple deployments that can provide deployment data for post-incident review, and the package includes a HALT suit for use in realistic training scenarios as well as a VR module intended to improve responses to mental-health crises. "Mental health is a huge issue that we see," Sergeant Roberts said, explaining the VR scenarios and cross-department training value for fire and EMS.

Chief Jenkins introduced the request and supported additional training and equipment but the council focused on procurement and budget timing. Members asked staff to verify whether the purchase could be made through a cooperative contract such as Sourcewell or whether the department would need a single-source justification; they also asked staff to confirm the vendor's stated quote expiration and any bid-law implications. The presenter referenced a time-limited quote; council members noted the packet contained both April 3 and April 30 as expiration dates and asked staff to clarify.

Council members did not approve a purchase on the spot. Mayor Rod Northam said the packet's budget update would be available at the next meeting and recommended staff return with confirmation of procurement options and the correct quote expiration date before any motion to proceed. The council instructed staff to follow up on Sourcewell eligibility, obtain procurement documentation from the vendor, and report back at the next meeting.

If the lease proceeds, the department said the agreement would provide in-state training, routine software updates and replacements tied to the lease, and the ability for certified instructors to train officers from neighboring agencies. The council recorded interest in the training benefits but required written procurement justification and budget confirmation prior to any final approval.