The Adrian City Commission has approved a 10-year, $1.34 million contract with public safety technology company AXON, formalizing an expansion of digital tools used by the Adrian Police Department.
Officials approved the agreement June 1, locking in long-term pricing for a suite of equipment and services they say will modernize operations and provide budget stability.
Police Chief Vince Emrick said the updated contract represents a significant expansion from the city’s previous agreement, which focused primarily on body-worn cameras.
Since that initial contract, the department has added a range of other technologies, including in-car dash cameras, cloud-based evidence storage, and software tools for managing and processing digital evidence.
The cost increase is based on those expansions and inflation across products and services, according to Emrick.
The new agreement includes ongoing technology upgrades, video redaction software, digital evidence management systems and virtual reality training hardware.
“The purpose of a 10-year agreement is to provide predictable budgeting, lock in pricing, and ensure that critical public safety technology remains current throughout the life of the contract,” Emrick said.
The department has applied for federal funding through the Small, Rural and Tribal Body-Worn Camera Program, which could offset approximately $66,000. Adrian previously secured similar funding in 2022.
Emrick said the technology has already produced operational benefits, including objective documentation of interactions between officers and the public, which can support investigations, assist prosecutors and improve officer training.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Officials approve $1.34M to expand police technology in Adrian
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram | USA TODAY Network
