A coup

A couple of meetings ago during a budget workshop I presented a specific need within the police department concerning our mobile video, body worn camera and interview room recording equipment. Our hardware, specifically the body worn cameras are no longer manufactured, and are at or past end-of-life for firmware updates and repair. Our provider, L3/Safe Fleet informed us that we would need to replace our server, as it is also at its end-of-life for maintenance and firmware updates. Since that previous workshop we have had an additional four Body Worn Cameras go down.

As part of the fiscal year ’21-‘22 budgeting process, funds were budgeted to replace: a) a new server for the L3/Safe Fleet camera systems; b) a new DVD printer- a proprietary printer specifically for the L3/Safe Fleet camera system; and, c) 15 new L3/Safe Fleet body worn cameras. After the budgeting process, while trying to get the server ordered, it was brought to our attention by L3/Safe Fleet, that once the server is replaced and updated with the new firmware, it will not be backwards compatible with our existing hardware: specifically with our two interview rooms, 17 mobile video units currently installed in our patrol fleet, or the remaining 30 body worn cameras.

L3/Safe Fleet initially suggested that we maintain two servers, the new one and the old one, as long as it would function. However, L3/Safe Fleet advised they would not be able to maintain or trouble shoot the old server if it encountered operational issues. It is ironic that the server replacement was pointed out to us while on a service call with L3/Safe Fleet due to the current server being down.

Staff decided that now would be a good time to look at other vendors, if everything was going to have to be replaced. We looked at several vendors, many of which require us to maintain our own servers and equipment, however, Axon- the maker of Taser offers a body worn camera, mobile video and the taser itself, that is all cloud based. Several of our surrounding agencies already use the Axon system with minimal complaints, and the DA has the ability to sign in and download video related to cases, without the need for us to print the hundreds of DVD’s, or download the hours of video footage that we currently submit with the case file.

The Axon contract is a five-year contract, that breaks down into annual payments. Per the contract, Axon will provide all the equipment: Mobile Video, Body Worn Cameras and interview room recording hardware on year one, then on year three and year five they replace all body worn cameras. At the end of the contract, the department would own the equipment and could choose to renew the contract or subscribe to an a-la-cart fee for video storage.

If approved, the mobile video systems will be on backorder with an expected delivery time frame of December. The remaining hardware, we are told will be delivered quickly as it is current stocked items.

I should note that mobile video is a required component of our racial profiling reporting. We have also previously obtain grants for Body Worn Camera's which require us to maintain policies on how that video is utilized, accessed, etc...

The per year cost of this proposal is $76,807 over the five year term. However, the first year impact will be considerably less due to approvals in the FY21/22 budget to replace the existing Server ($18,000), DVD printer ($12,440), 15 BWC's ($6000) and tasers ($12,920). These previously approved budget items add up to $49,360, leaving a financial impact of roughly $27,500.

Second through fourth year impacts would be roughly $60,000 due to offsetting budget items for annual replacement of 15 BWC ($10,500) and roughly $7,200 in maintenance fees associated with L3/Safe Fleet.

The fifth year impact, based off our historical budgeting process would be roughly $36,000. This is based on historical data of replacing the DVD printer every four years ($12,449), the 15 replacement BWC's budgeted annually ($10,500) and the maintenance fees ($7,200)