Chino staff outline Axon package with Taser 10, body cameras and AI tools; first-year cost could near $799,000

City staff on March 10 briefed the Chino City Council on a proposed upgrade to the police department's Axon technology suite that would add TASER 10 devices, broaden body-worn camera functionality and bring several cloud-based artificial-intelligence tools into routine use.

Lieutenant Aaron Kelleher, who led the technical portion of the presentation, described the TASER 10 as a major change from earlier models and said one trigger pull can fire multiple probes. "So now you get 45 feet of effective range of a TASER," Kelleher said, adding that the new device reduces the rate of what he called the "lower dart" failure that the department has experienced with older units.

Kelleher also framed the package as more than hardware: he highlighted virtual-reality training, a connected body camera that can live-stream and provide real-time translation in more than 50 languages, and AI-driven tools that generate draft police narratives from camera footage. "Our primary goal in employing body cameras is to protect our officers from false claims and misconduct, but also to bolster public trust by having a clear record of what occurred in critical situations," he said.

Deputy Chief Nick Murata and Chief Kevin Menson summarized the contract and budget implications. Staff said the department's current Axon contract covers TASER 7 units and body cameras and runs about $265,000 per year; the recommended "AI Era" plan would add translation, draft-reporting, redaction assistance, Prepared 911 and other tools. Staff told councilmembers the proposed basic plan with the full AI offerings would be roughly $799,000 in year one, and that almost $250,000'$260,000 of the increase reflects the TASER 10 equipment cost alone. "We really believe that this is a good roadmap to keep us on the cutting edge of technology," the presenter said, while acknowledging the cost jump.

Staff emphasized both efficiencies and safeguards. Kelleher said the department has trialed AI-assisted report drafting (Draft 1) and that in one recent month the tool produced 262 draft narratives, saving about 30 minutes per report on average. Deputy Chief Murata pointed to a state law change and compliance measures: "Senate Bill 524 puts some strict rules on using AI for police reports," Murata said, noting that as of Jan. 1, 2026 officers must disclose when a report was written in part or in whole by AI and must retain an audit trail of the draft and edits. Murata added that Axon's Draft 1 is a closed system designed to meet those disclosure and retention requirements.

Councilmembers asked detailed procedural questions during a Q&A about warranties and evidence admissibility. Staff said the proposed officer-safety plan includes replacement coverage for damaged devices and unlimited cartridge replacement for training and field use. On translation accuracy and use in court, Kelleher said the department has seen the translation technology used in practice and that it feeds into the draft-reporting tools: "It actually gets translated to transcribe like the video transcription does into English," he said, and staff reported the quality is high enough that agencies are using it in court.

Staff preference and next steps: presenters said they are recommending a five-year contract option (with a 10-year option available) and plan to include the recommended Axon package in the fiscal-year 2027 budget. The city's presentation concluded as a workshop item; council received the information and did not take a formal vote at the March 10 meeting.

What to watch: council budget deliberations and the proposed FY2027 budget will indicate whether the full AI Era package or a more limited set of features moves forward. If adopted, the contract would enlarge the department's use of connected cameras, automated redaction and AI-assisted report generation while also adding TASER 10 devices to patrol equipment.