In 2009, at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Denver, Colo., I first encountered Taser's new AXON camera system. In January 2010, representatives from Taser talked to me about being a test site for the new system. They were interested in testing the system in cold weather conditions, and South Dakota winters are known to be a little on the chilly side. (It's not 
uncommon to have periods of below-zero temperatures, some with wind chills as low as -50 degrees.) The Aberdeen (S.D.) Police Department agreed to be one of many test sites for the Taser AXON body-worn video system.
The test phase system included the AXON tactical computer, the Head Cam, the Com Hub, the ETM (Evidence Transfer Manager) and Evidence.com. The AXON tactical computer was plugged into the ETM at the end of the officers' shift to upload the video to Evidence.com. The website provides secure off-site storage, which requires less IT responsibility, minimal staff involvement and easy viewing access.
During the test phase we recorded a lot of video that was uploaded to the website Evidence.com, which is accessed through permission only. This means officers can't delete or manipulate any information on the AXON, making its contents indisputable. We used some of the recorded video to inform and educate members of our city council, states attorney's office staff, city attorney, mayor and city manager about the benefits of the Taser AXON body-worn camera system. Through this education process, we were able to ask for and receive a supplement to our 2010 police department budget to purchase 20 Taser AXON cameras.
Getting Buy-In
While testing and evaluating the Taser AXON system, most officers were responsive to the new technology and embraced its capabilities. However, when we decided to purchase the system and actually signed a three-year contract with Taser some officers pushed back. The officers' main concern was a section in our policy that addressed some auditing of the videos. The officers feared that their sergeant or captain would be reviewing every video looking for policy violations. We addressed their concerns by meeting to discuss the policy and direction we were taking with the new system.
We explained that there aren't enough hours in a day to review all the video the officers were accumulating while on shift. We would do periodic audits, according to policy, and we would respond to complaints against officers by reviewing the video for any policy violations. After a while, the officers who were pushing the hardest became the system's best advocates when they realized how cameras would reduce complaints against officers and make their jobs more efficient.
How It Works
We currently use the Taser AXON FLEX camera system. This system eliminates the tactical computer of the earlier units by replacing it with the AXON FLEX camera, which is smaller than the original AXON and plugs into the ETM for uploading video to Evidence.com. We purchased Samsung MP3 players for officers to review their video and show video to violators via Bluetooth. The officers can access the records management system using the Samsung—an added benefit.
Officers are constantly scrutinized by the media, citizens and local government. With the explosion of digital media available to 
everyone it's like being under a large microscope. In some cases the online video taken by a citizen captures only part of the incident, not the entire event. When this happens officers are put on the defensive to justify their actions. In today's world, if something happens we expect video of the event to be available. Everyone uses video for a variety of purposes.
The body-worn system has many benefits. The officers can capture the entire incident on video, providing a reference for reports. Video depicts the actions of all parties involved from the approximate viewpoint of the officer. When people realize they're being videoed, demeanor often changes. Citizens tend to be less confrontational and more cooperative, resulting in fewer situations where officers must overcome resistance.
It also stands up in court. Prosecutors and defense attorneys may use the videos in preparing their cases. Resolution of cases is faster when both parties can view what transpired during the incident through the video. The court dockets clear faster with fewer court hearings, resulting in lower litigation costs for everyone. Complaints filed against officers are handled and in most cases cleared immediately after viewing the video of the incident.
Complaints against our officers have decreased substantially since we implemented the body-worn camera system. Other agencies that have implemented similar camera systems have experienced similar reductions in complaints against officers. Video not only clears the officer of wrong doing, it helps classify the complaint when an internal investigation is warranted and helps determine the outcome of an investigation.
Body-worn camera systems are also a great training resource. Using real situational videos from our community to train new officers has been invaluable. Refresher training for veteran officers using our videos has also been helpful. Our firearms instructors use the body-worn system to record officers on the range to correct bad habits and teach proper firearms techniques. Other instructors use the video in a variety of training classes to improve officer performance.
Other Uses
Following are a couple of examples based on real incidents in our jurisdiction that show just how useful this technology can be in ways we didn't really anticipate.
A rollover crash in town with injuries: The officer went to the emergency department and described to the doctor the physics of the crash and what things looked like at the scene. The officer tried to explain what he saw, but realized it would be much easier to show
the doctor the video from his body-worn camera. The doctor watched the video footage from the AXON and thus was given a better idea of what caused the injuries to the accident victim under his treatment.
Agonal breathing patient: After responding to a medical call which involved a female experiencing torturous breathing, the officer went to the hospital to talk to the doctor about what he witnessed. The officer showed the doctor the AXON video, so that he could see in real-time the symptoms that brought the patient to the hospital.
Conclusion
Citizens recording officers doing their job has become the norm. It's helpful when officers have a video record of the full context of the events from their perspective.
The Taser AXON Flex mount permits the camera to be mounted to a cap, helmet, glasses or a lapel. The system lets the officers choose an approach that meets their needs and assignment.
Complaints dropped significantly after the camera roll out. Although there was initial resistance, cameras frequently vindicated an officer's actions.
