Mount Pleasant approves contract extension with Axon for police body cameras through 2036

Mount Pleasant's City Commission voted June 22 to authorize the director of public safety to sign an agreement with Axon Technologies for body-worn cameras and cloud services through Dec. 1, 2036.

Staff described the proposed deal as a contract that would secure body camera equipment and the vendor's cloud services, and reported the proposed term would lock pricing for the contract period. The presentation listed an annual contract amount used to model the program during discussion at about $95,000 per year; the staff presentation said that figure represented a flat annual rate over the proposed term.

During questions, Director of Public Safety Paul Lore said that recorded data stored in Axon's cloud is owned by the city and would be released only according to applicable laws, including FOIA and evidentiary rules. "The data that is stored within their system is property of the city of Mount Pleasant," he said.

Commissioner Pershbacher moved to authorize the director to enter into the agreement; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: the contract governs the city's body-camera program for the coming years and sets terms for data storage, access and maintenance. Commissioners asked about storage, vendor access and uses of footage; staff said only the city can authorize release of recordings and that the vendor provides cloud-hosting and backup services.

What the authorization covers: staff described the contract as providing body-worn cameras, software support and cloud storage. The commission approved authorization for the director to execute the contract; staff will finalize the formal agreement and proceed with procurement as authorized.