Taser International announced today that it will supply free body cameras and evidence management software to every law enforcement officer in America through a special test-and-evaluation program. In addition, the company is changing its name to Axon.
Starting today, Axon's Community One program will provide a free body camera and Evidence.com evidence management software to every American officer for one year, says company president Luke Larson. "We believe so confidently in our solution that we want to get this technology out to every officer," he says.
Larson says the one-year free trial of Axon cameras and software will be made available to agencies based on company criteria that he would not divulge. He admits it may take some time to provide all of the agencies that apply for the program with equipment, but committed to "provide support within 6 months" of approving each agency's application.
The Community One program does not obligate agencies to purchase the equipment or evidence management software once the one-year free test period expires, according to Larson. However, he believes many of the agencies will choose to continue using the Axon/Evidence.com solution. "We are really excited about the capabilities officers will be able to gain once they are on the Axon network," he says.
Agencies can learn more about Community One at www.axon.com/offer.
Larson says the company's name change to Axon is the result of its transformation from a maker of less-lethal weapons into a public safety technology provider, but he says the TASER brand will live on as a product brand within Axon.
"TASER is a great brand, but it is associated with the TASER weapon. So when you ask people about TASER, their first association is with the TASER weapon," Larson says.
The TASER International name was becoming "restrictive," he adds. "In the last eight years we have transformed the company into a much broader mission."
Larson says making new and innovative TASER weapons is still a part of Axon's core business, and there will be announcements of new TASER products as the company goes forward.
Axon will remain headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, with offices in Seattle, London, Sydney, and Amsterdam. The company's new NASDAQ trading symbol is AAXN.
