Video evidence collected by police officers using the TASER AXON system is shifting to a new cloud home in the near future.
TASER and Microsoft announced a partnership where their combined capabilities of Microsoft’s Azure and Windows 10 devices and TASER’s Axon platform and Evidence.com solution will provide security-enhanced digital evidence management for law enforcement agencies.
“We’re incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Microsoft, [they are] well known for industry-leading security and reliability,” TASER founder and CEO Rick Smith said in a statement. The company will be able to “leverage even more cutting-edge technologies with Microsoft’s expertise in data analytics, machine learning and computer vision.”
Axon’s Azure integration is expected for preview in Q4 2015, and for all agencies in early 2016. All current customers will have the option to transfer to Azure.
Last week, TASER announced the expansion of the AXON platform with the Axon Interview Solution, In-Car Video Solution and new Axon Body 2 Camera.
The Axon Interview Room Solution helps provide the highest quality video and audio when detectives conduct interviews. It includes a touchscreen interface device that works in tandem with HD cameras and microphones. Other features include annotations for quick playback of key moments, custom categories, and has unlimited data storage with the plan.
READ: More body cameras coming to Arizona Police Departments
TASER is going after the in-car video market with their Axon Fleet solutions and competing with a $499 price; the company claims their product is 90 percent less than systems on the market. This solution includes two cameras for the front window and rear seat area with a wide-angle lens, Retina HD video, wireless activation, pre-event buffer, data uploads to the cloud via WiFi or Axon Dock, and is paired with a mobile app for streaming and replay.
Body cameras have been on the invoices of many police departments around the country and gaining popularity. In the effort to expand the Axon camera line, TASER released their new Axon Body 2 Camera built on the Ambarella HD camera System On-Chip that is designed for extreme sports and capturing images in motion. Enhanced features include, Retina HD video, 12 hour plus battery, pre-event buffer, wireless activation, optional mute, in-field tagging, RapidLock Mounts, encrypted data, automatic upload, and paired with a mobile app; the company is pricing it at $399.
In Arizona, major town and city law enforcement agencies, including Scottsdale, Phoenix, Gilbert and Tucson as well as college campuses, have purchases body cameras for their officers. In a recent report, TASER released a study that showed a reduction in “personal body” force by officers by 41 percent and pepper spray by 31 percent.
Read all our coverage about TASER at AZ Tech Beat.
Graphics courtesy of TASER
