Axon ( www.axon.com ) has announced the launch of Axon Performance, a data analytics tool that helps to streamline the policy review process for law enforcement agencies. Axon Performance allows supervisors to more efficiently review video footage, perform agencywide officer performance evaluations, identify training needs and save officers time so they can spend more time in their communities. It is available to purchase today as a software add-on for existing customers and is included for agencies purchasing the Officer Safety Plan (OSP) 7+.

“Launching Axon Performance is a major achievement — and we are confident

that this data analytics software will enhance effective policing," says Rick Smith, CEO and founder of Axon. “We are proud of the work that agencies have done in implementing body-worn cameras, bringing more transparency to their communities. Axon Performance gives these agencies the power to harness greater insights from all the footage they have collected.”

Designed in close consultation with agencies, Axon Performance solves a real need, the company says. Today, supervising officers undergo the arduous task of manually sorting through and reviewing the camera footage captured by officer's body cameras. Axon Performance helps reduce this time-consuming task by tracking and reporting metrics such as whether an officer's body-worn camera has been activated or if the videos have been correctly categorized. Supervising officers are able to save time by completing evaluations while in the field via their Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) rather than driving back to the station to complete paperwork.

Other benefits of Axon Performance include:

* Identifying training opportunities in near real-time: With the ability to measure performance in near real-time, supervisors can identify the exact training that is needed and proactively equip officers with the tools and training to best serve their communities.

* Agencywide performance evaluation coverage: Axon Performance allows a consistent and uniform evaluation of each officer rather than just a few selected at random due to the time it takes to perform manual reviews (agencies continue to have the option to choose a random sample of videos for evaluation). The tool reports when officers fall out of compliance so supervisors and officers can more effectively and efficiently correct those issues.

* Giving time back to officers: Axon Performance reduces the time it takes supervisors to complete reviews. For example, by integrating computer-aided dispatch (CAD) logs, Axon Performance automatically calculates Activation Rates so that supervisors are no longer required to manually cross reference calls for service with body-worn videos. Supervisors can spend more time working directly with communities, versus at a desk back at the station.

Law enforcement agencies around the country varying in size and phase of adoption partnered with Axon starting in the fourth quarter of 2018 to trial Axon Performance. Over the four-month Early Access Program, the partner agencies saw a combined six percent increase in camera activations when officers interacted with the public. That's 1,100 more interactions with the public captured on body-worn camera footage, which would have otherwise resulted in no video record of the service call.

Axon Performance is available now to all US agencies and will be available to international customers in the first half of 2020.