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| AXON set up displays behind the police station in Lake Forest Park Photo by LFP PD |
The Roadshow showcases Axon's latest technology, including body-worn cameras, TASER energy weapons, evidence management systems, and more.
We talked a bit about how the improvements in technology have made policing much safer for the officers. Lake Forest Park PD would like to upgrade all their TASERs to the TASER 10. The improvements are summarized in this photo of the brochure (that was in my pocket all day). He then introduced me to an Axon representative who talked about the latest in TASER technology.
They even offer this small handheld TASER for personal protection.
AXON offers Virtual Reality (VR) Training in place of firing ranges.
I spoke with several representatives of Axon as I walked around and looked at the exhibits, including the state of the art cameras in police cars.
They have a license plate application that catches a plate that it “sees” and runs the plate and produces the report on the laptop screen. He demonstrated it for me on a nearby car (not revealing the report). The camera locked on to a license plate, cleaned up the image, and was ready to continue. This can all occur while the officer is driving.
Of course the police vehicles have camera views from the front and the back, and a view of the back seat as well. This is useful when the person being detained appears to go quiet and may be ill, or is thrashing around and trying to twist a seatbelt around their neck. The officer doesn’t have to take his eyes off the road and twist around to see what is happening behind his back.
This same camera is also linked to all other cameras in their network nationwide. While demonstrating, he pulled up a car camera from a PD in Alabama. It took a second at most and it was as clear as if the car was parked next to us.
And Drones. Who doesn’t love them?
Small to large, drones make it easier to track a vehicle than trying to watch it from your car while speeding after it.
They are compact and easy to keep in the trunk.
Car chases are computer controlled as well. The system sees if the chase is too fast for the current traffic. If it is, the chase is stopped because safety is the priority. Parrish said that officers will not chase at 110mph as YouTube would have you think. The reason they chase after people at all is to avoid everybody running away from a police officer.
At the end of the day, I learned a lot more about policing than what I see on YouTube. And that most of the focus is on keeping the everyone safe.
The events provide agencies with hands-on experience to explore how these tools can enhance their operations for their communities. The goal is to empower first responders with practical insights and solutions, creating a space where product specialists and cutting-edge technology come together for improved safety and efficiency.
When I arrived I was met by Sgt. Morris Parrish, Training Sergeant/PIO for the Regional Crisis Response (RCR) who spoke to me about the need to keep up with technological advancements. Unfortunately cost is always an issue.
When I arrived I was met by Sgt. Morris Parrish, Training Sergeant/PIO for the Regional Crisis Response (RCR) who spoke to me about the need to keep up with technological advancements. Unfortunately cost is always an issue.
We talked a bit about how the improvements in technology have made policing much safer for the officers. Lake Forest Park PD would like to upgrade all their TASERs to the TASER 10. The improvements are summarized in this photo of the brochure (that was in my pocket all day). He then introduced me to an Axon representative who talked about the latest in TASER technology.
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| Handheld Taser for personal protection |
AXON offers Virtual Reality (VR) Training in place of firing ranges.
In just a few short minutes, users will improve their aim and accuracy.
This method is showing great promise not only because of the fast learning curve, but because it requires a much smaller area to practice in.
Rather than standing 20-45 feet away from a target, the officer in training looks at a screen through the VR headset in just a few feet of space like an office.
The demonstration I saw was in a trailer. and the “trainee” was only a few feet away from the screen but perceived the “subject” to be much farther away.
I wondered why the officer activating a TASER shouts out: TASER! TASER! TASER! before firing.
“Comprehensive training modules help ensure that your officers are well-rounded and as prepared as possible should any routine scenario go awry.
"The most comprehensive VR police training software should provide access to an extensive library of supplemental lessons officers can complete during downtime.”
(Source axon.com)
I wondered why the officer activating a TASER shouts out: TASER! TASER! TASER! before firing.
Is it to alert the other officers? He said yes because the canister in the TASER is very loud and could be mistaken for a gunshot. And when the target falls to the ground after the loud sound, another officer might misinterpret it as a gunshot exchange with an injured target.
The situations are difficult, especially at night. Officers may be shouting out contradictory instructions (get on the ground; show me your hands; put your hands on your head) and flashing red and blue light from the police vehicles add to the confusion.
Their body cameras (which are worn by both LFP and Shoreline Police) are automated to come on when they leave the police station so there is no forgetting to turn on your camera. This is particularly useful when someone they detained misremembers what happened during the interaction with the police officer.
We talked about the difficulty of policing in an environment of constant camera presence and people being detained stating '"I’m afraid of you" (because you are a man), or "I can’t breathe," or '"I need to go to the hospital."
Their body cameras (which are worn by both LFP and Shoreline Police) are automated to come on when they leave the police station so there is no forgetting to turn on your camera. This is particularly useful when someone they detained misremembers what happened during the interaction with the police officer.
We talked about the difficulty of policing in an environment of constant camera presence and people being detained stating '"I’m afraid of you" (because you are a man), or "I can’t breathe," or '"I need to go to the hospital."
Some people will say anything to delay the ultimate trip to jail, they said. All the while the officers are striving to remain calm to de-escalate the situation and keep everyone safe.
De-escalating techniques coupled with non-lethal choices such as TASERs mean less risk of injury or death to the officers and the members of the public.
I spoke with several representatives of Axon as I walked around and looked at the exhibits, including the state of the art cameras in police cars.
They have a license plate application that catches a plate that it “sees” and runs the plate and produces the report on the laptop screen. He demonstrated it for me on a nearby car (not revealing the report). The camera locked on to a license plate, cleaned up the image, and was ready to continue. This can all occur while the officer is driving.
Of course the police vehicles have camera views from the front and the back, and a view of the back seat as well. This is useful when the person being detained appears to go quiet and may be ill, or is thrashing around and trying to twist a seatbelt around their neck. The officer doesn’t have to take his eyes off the road and twist around to see what is happening behind his back.
This same camera is also linked to all other cameras in their network nationwide. While demonstrating, he pulled up a car camera from a PD in Alabama. It took a second at most and it was as clear as if the car was parked next to us.
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| Drone demonstration Photo courtesy LFP PD |
And Drones. Who doesn’t love them?
Small to large, drones make it easier to track a vehicle than trying to watch it from your car while speeding after it.
They can be used to locate a suspect, or find a lost person in a wooded or congested area.
A small drone can enter a locked building through a window and “see” if the problem has been resolved.
They are quick to deploy so you don’t have to wait for a helicopter to arrive.
They are compact and easy to keep in the trunk.
Car chases are computer controlled as well. The system sees if the chase is too fast for the current traffic. If it is, the chase is stopped because safety is the priority. Parrish said that officers will not chase at 110mph as YouTube would have you think. The reason they chase after people at all is to avoid everybody running away from a police officer.
At the end of the day, I learned a lot more about policing than what I see on YouTube. And that most of the focus is on keeping the everyone safe.
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