TEMPE, Ariz. — The Tempe City Council voted 6-1 Thursday night to approve a nearly $7 million contract with Scottsdale-based Axon as Valley residents continue to voice concerns over privacy and law enforcement technology.
The five-year deal covers body cameras, software for the city's Real-Time Operation Center, upgraded TASERs, and new Axon Fleet 3 cameras for patrol cars. The city said the contract will save Tempe roughly $3 million as it consolidates several existing Axon agreements.
The vote came against a backdrop of ongoing tension over surveillance technology. The city canceled its contract with Flock Safety last month and covered the cameras citywide as it says the company has not responded to its removal request. A proposal to ban law enforcement's use of automated license plate readers entirely is also in early stages of public feedback.
The Tempe Officers Association President Rob Ferraro addressed the council Thursday night, speaking on the changes to technological tools at the police department's disposal.
"Tempe is getting less safe," Ferraro said. "I can't be any more direct than that."
Ferraro also pushed back on public opposition to law enforcement technology in Tempe, calling critics "a few dozen loud people who loathe law enforcement."
While privacy advocates have commended the end of the Flock contract as a win, they raised new concerns about the Axon deal.
The Fleet 3 cameras are designated as "not ALPR enabled" in the agreement, but Axon does allow that capability to be added later with a subscription. That detail drew scrutiny from several residents over the last two weeks.
"Without ALPR abilities, it sounds like Axon Fleet cameras are just a dashcam," East Valley Unite Co-Director Nathan Taylortaft said. "If you're not using the ALPR function, there's no reason to buy them."
Councilmember Bobby Nichols--who is behind the proposal to ban ALPRs even as the city says it has no plans to bring more into Tempe--cast the lone dissenting vote.
Ferraro framed the decision in stark terms for the council.
"You can give our officers the tools they need to protect residents and solve crimes, or you can make that work more difficult," Ferraro said.
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