IT Governance Business Case
Axon Expansion for Improved Accountability & Transparency
Durham Police Department
Background
Durham Police Department (DPD) policy requires all officers to wear and use body-worn cameras during incident response – ensuring every encounter is captured for transparency and accountability.
To support this commitment, DPD has invested in Axon technologies including:
- Body-worn cameras (BWC)
- In-car cameras (ICC)
With 531 sworn officers generating up to 78,000 hours of video per year, Axon's evidence.com provides secure storage to preserve clear, impartial records. These systems strengthen public trust by improving fact-finding, documenting use-of-force, and bringing faster closure for victims and communities.
Current Business Problem
Fragmented systems hinder fast response, community & officer safety, and efficient case resolution.
The growth of DPD's digital evidence collection over the past decade has outpaced the its ability to manage the evidence within existing workflows.
As a result, administrative workload continues to rise, with staff relying on increasingly manual processes to coordinate dispatch with live video, manage incident command, and review evidence.
Current Pain Points
• Department policy requires in-car cameras across fleet, which is not yet attained
• Disparate camera streams overwhelm command during incidents
• No live video support or GPS location for officers in high-risk encounters
• 10k+ hours of evidence hard to search & translate for case-relevant footage
• Workflow delays prolong trauma and uncertainty for victims
Future State Benefits
• Complete in-car coverage improves incident visibility
• Unified video streams simplify command decision-making
• Live video support & GPS enhances officer safety in high-risk encounters
• Advanced search tools accelerate evidence review
• Faster case resolution reduces trauma and speed resolution for victims
Strategic Alignment
Analysis and Recommended Solution
Market Analysis
- BWC a young market. Piloted in 2012, DOJ grants spread adoption in 2015; storage requirements made it impractical until the last decade
- Video evidence now a modern standard. 80%+ of large police forces (500+ officers) have BWC (2016 Study, US DOJ)
- Emerging state legislation: 34 states have BWC legislation, with NC legislation on the horizon (HB 804, GS 15A-202 in 2023)
- Axon market leader in BWC: 80-85% share in major cities & police depts; DPD switched to Axon for this reason, after a malware attack in 2019
Contract Analysis
- Relatively new contract: With 5-year terms, DPD nears its second-ever renewal of Axon
BWC & ICC contract
- Gradual expansion: body cams dept-wide, in-car cams expanded gradually since 2020.
As this grew, DPD also grew to need Unlimited Storage in on evidence.com.
Solution Analysis
Unified live video feeds for dispatch
Text-searchable video evidence
ICC – complete fleet coverage
Bonus: VR training
Bonus: drones for faster response times
Cost Savings
*This cost includes current allocated budget of $956,746. This is an annual savings of $510,000 vs. a la carte costs
Recommended Solution: adopt Axon Expansion bundle
Description
Approve Axon expansion bundle and extend term to 8 years to improve safety and faster justice outcomes for victims
Pros
• Improved transparency & accountability
• 8-year term extends current pricing further than current 5-year
• Bundle delivers ~50% discount on additions
Cons
• N/A
TS Architecture Review
The recommended solution meets TS Architecture Review standards.
Cybersecurity Review
The recommended solution meets TS Cybersecurity Review standards, including CJIS standards.
Recommended Solution - Project Financial Estimate
Risk Identification
Mitigation Risk (Costs)
• N/A
Contingency Risk (Costs)
• N/A
Our ask
We are asking the IT Governance Steering Committee to approve and score the business case to expand the Axon contracts to improve DPD's accountability, transparency, and public safety efforts. If approved, the business case will be scored, ranked and submitted to the City Manager for final approval.