The Fort Pierce Police Department’s partnership with Axon, the global leader in connected law enforcement technologies, takes the department’s body-worn camera program to the next level.
On Thursday, September 13, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. the Department will showcase the Axon technology at the main station, located at 920 S. US Highway 1. This new-style camera will increase the Department’s accountability to the community by improving our ability to capture critical incidents.
The Fort Pierce City Commission on September 4, 2018 approved a proposed contract with Axon that will bring cutting-edge technology to the department. Our Officers will be the first to deploy the Axon Signal Sidearm (wireless holster) and Axon Signal Performance Power Magazine (TASER Battery). Once a firearm is drawn from its holster, the sensor is triggered and alerts all nearby Axon cameras to begin recording. In addition to the holster activation, the battery installed in the TASER Smart Weapon will send an alert to nearby Axon cameras to begin recording when the TASER is armed.
When the Department introduced the VIEVU body camera program in the summer of 2017, we were the first agency to field deploy any type of holster auto activation technology. During the use of the auto activation holster, we discovered the cable connecting the holster to the camera was susceptible to breakage under the stresses the officers placed on their equipment on a daily basis. The breakage affected the holster’s ability to activate the camera, but did not affect the camera’s functionality.
VIEVU immediately began working on a redesign that required reengineering the entire holster. In the midst of finalizing the revised holster design, the parent company of VIEVU, Safariland, sold VIEVU to Axon. Upon taking over VIEVU, Axon representatives met with Department staff to demonstrate the Axon Signal Sidearm and discussed replacing the VIEVU system with the new system at no additional cost.
“The Fort Pierce Police Department is excited about Axon’s continued commitment to ensuring our officers have the best equipment available,” said Chief Diane Hobley-Burney. “We are also very proud to be making history again by being the first agency to use this innovative technology.”
The transition to the new system is expected to be completed in the next several months.