1-Q ID 20-00597 Actions pertaining to the Police Department's Axon Body Worn Cameras
1. Award a sole source contract in the amount of $839,900 for the first year and $788,500 per year for the remaining four years, for the maintenance and upgrade of 556 Taser X26P conducted energy weapons (CEW's, also known as "TASERS"), 556 Flex 2 body-worn video cameras, and unlimited video storage through TASER's Evidence.com storage service.
2. ***RESOLUTION - Adopt a Resolution authorizing the establishment of a contract for the purchase and service of body-worn cameras, data storage, and conducted electrical weapons with Axon International, Inc. without advertised competitive bidding (Subject to Mayor's Veto)
Fresno Police department occupies a 201 million dollar Budget. We are concerned about any additional dollars being allocated to such an already massive budget during an economic crisis. Have these funds already been allocated in an approved budget or is this a new request? If this is a new request, we strongly oppose in addition to being concerned that PD failed to budget their needs appropriately for such critical equipment. Our folks are losing their living places, going with out food, and suffering extreme mental health consequences to the reverberations of COVID-19. Especially when Young people of color, most impacted by police violence, in our city have requested for preventative investments for a decade at least. Furthermore, FPD has a history of failure to supply the public with body-cam footage which is often only made available by anonymous leaking of such content. Lastly, what accountability measures will there be for officers who use excessive force in lieu of deescalation tactics like the use of a taser in place of a handgun?
District 1 resident (Lions Park/Slater Elementary neighborhood).
FPD wants more $ and we want accountability. Furthermore, if cams are are needed then we want responsive ( Taking responsive action means looking into the patterning of those prevailing conditions in more deeply that continue to plague FPD..ie lawlessness/non transparent reporting of FPD/open check book by way of City hall) access to footage and most importantly I don’t want FPD getting this $ if the equipment is not in need of upgrades.
Fresno Police department occupies a 201 million dollar Budget. We are concerned about any additional dollars being allocated to such an already massive budget during an economic crisis. Have these funds already been allocated in an approved budget or is this a new request? If this is a new request, we strongly oppose in addition to being concerned that PD failed to budget their needs appropriately for such critical equipment. Our folks are losing their living places, going with out food, and suffering extreme mental health consequences to the reverberations of COVID-19. Especially when Young people of color, most impacted by police violence, in our city have requested for preventative investments for a decade at least. Furthermore, FPD has a history of failure to supply the public with body-cam footage which is often only made available by anonymous leaking of such content. Lastly, what accountability measures will there be for officers who use excessive force in lieu of deescalation tactics like the use of a taser in place of a handgun?
District 1 resident (Lions Park/Slater Elementary neighborhood).
FPD wants more $ and we want accountability. Furthermore, if cams are are needed then we want responsive ( Taking responsive action means looking into the patterning of those prevailing conditions in more deeply that continue to plague FPD..ie lawlessness/non transparent reporting of FPD/open check book by way of City hall) access to footage and most importantly I don’t want FPD getting this $ if the equipment is not in need of upgrades.