Justice
Taser Aims to Bring Free Body Cams to U.S. Police
The stun-gun makers are offering body cameras and data storage for one year to departments nationwide. But before police departments jump at the offer, they should be mindful of the hidden costs of acquiring new technology.
Taser International wants to be known as more than the folks behind those iconic stun guns. Taser, you see, makes more than just Tasers. So they’re changing their name to Axon, after the division aimed at expanding the company’s technology platform. “There are times when we’re talking about our cloud software, our new artificial intelligence team, or wearable sensors and cameras, and there, the Taser name doesn’t feel like it applies,” founder and CEO Rick Smith tells CityLab.
They’re also giving all U.S. police departments a taste of their other public-safety-related products, namely their police body cameras—at least for a year.