CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Cooperative Procurement 21-281, Police Department Body Worn Cameras and In-Car Video System to Axon Enterprise, Inc for an amount not to exceed $2,257,634.97 and for a five-year term
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DEPARTMENT: Police Department
SUBMITTED BY: Jason Arres, Police Chief
BACKGROUND:
The procurement of body-worn cameras (BWC) and replacement in-car cameras for police vehicles was approved by the City Council for the 2022 Annual Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
Body-worn cameras are valuable tools for law enforcement because they document both video and audio of police incidents and encounters with the public. Use of these cameras in Naperville will provide a new type of evidence, enhance officer safety, and improve transparency with the community.
Another benefit of BWC is that they improve the quality of investigations and criminal prosecution through the audio and video evidence they record. Whether it is the crime occurring in front of the officers, statements provided, or other evidence gathered, the documentation provided by body-worn cameras can prove extremely valuable during investigations and court proceedings.
Transparency and accountability can also be enhanced through a BWC program. When used in combination with existing tools, like in-car cameras and formal incident reports, body-worn cameras will assist in documenting what occurs during police incidents, which enhances accountability for both the officer and the public. This technology will also improve officer safety by serving as a teaching tool in that the Training Unit and police supervisors will have the ability to review video with officers and coach them on areas of improvement for future incidents.
DISCUSSION:
Understanding all the benefits of body-worn cameras, the Naperville Police Department began the process of developing a BWC program even before it became a statutory mandate. Included with the Naperville BWC program is a new in-car digital video camera system as well as a solution for secure cloud-based data storage; an application for administering, retrieving, redacting and securing video data; and professional services to install and support the system.
The BWC Project Plan - Contract Proposal
In the early planning stages, Police Department staff met with Procurement Services to determine the best method to procure the necessary equipment. Before initiating the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, staff conducted cooperative market research in order to identity potential cooperative contracts that the City might consider prior to issuing an RFP.
Three contracts were identified from industry-leading vendors Axon, Motorola, and Utility. Staff confirmed that the procurement methods utilized by each of the cooperatives complied with the City’s Procurement Code and requested that each vendor submit a cooperative contract proposal.
Vendor Trials - Field Tests
Staff assembled a project plan and team to conduct field tests of all vendor’s BWC and in-car camera products. Staff from impacted departments were included in order to have the opportunity to understand and/or participate in the selection process.
Vendor trials were conducted in the fall of 2021. Police officers, records personnel, and IT staff tested the cameras and back-end software. The trials allowed staff to use and evaluate cameras in the field; review, share and redact camera footage; and evaluate storage and security solutions.
Vendor Selection - Axon
Based on the trials, reference checks, and department evaluations, Axon’s body-worn and in-car camera products were selected as the Naperville’s preferred solution.
Axon products are available through the approved Sourcewell Cooperative Contract #010720-AXN. Axon is an industry leader currently used by 161 departments in Illinois and 3,750 departments nationwide.
Five-year Award and Delivery
The total cost of the body worn cameras and in-car video system is $2,257,634.97. This includes a $478,759 discount off MSRP as part of the Sourcewell Contract.
The total cost will be paid over a five-year period as follows:
|
Year 1 |
483,227.96 |
|
Year 2 |
443,601.81 |
|
Year 3 |
443,601.81 |
|
Year 4 |
443,601.81 |
|
Year 5 |
443,601.81 |
Barring unforeseen circumstances or global supply chain issues, staff anticipates taking delivery of the body-worn cameras in Q2 and in-car cameras in Q3/Q4 2022.
At the conclusion of the five-year term, the City will possess the newest version of equipment available and be responsible for maintenance or enter into a new agreement with warranties and service on the new equipment.
The term of the contract is five-years from the date of shipment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP: EQ054
Cost for the BWC program is expensed to the account number listed below. A total of $2.24M over a 5-year period, was proposed for the program. Year 1 implementation cost is covered under CIP EQ054. Annual operating costs for future years will be added to the operating budget during each budget cycle.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
|
21102200-551504 |
Capital Projects Fund |
$483,228 |