Taser Changes Name, Offers Bodycam To Every Officer In United States

Big news out of Taser International, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company that has become the law enforcement equivalent of Kleenex — a company name that's become the label for all variations of a product, whether the firm manufactures it or not.

First, the company is changing its name. The publicly traded company is now known as Axon.

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Second — and of interest to law enforcement agencies around the United States — it is offering free body cameras to every police officer in the country, with some exceptions.

"We believe these cameras are more than just tools to protect communities and the officers who serve them," says company CEO and founder Rick Smith. "They also hold the potential to change police work as we know it, by seamlessly collecting an impartial record and reducing the need for endless paperwork.

"That's why we're giving this opportunity to every single police officer in America."

The offer — which includes hardware, software, data storage, training and support — is for one year and is not available for any law enforcement agency or its officers in which Axon is participating in a request for proposal.

The company says that the offer includes:

• One Axon Body 2 camera per sworn officer
• Digital evidence data storage with an Evidence.com “Unlimited Pro” license
• Two mounts per officer
• Docking station to securely upload body camera footage
• Access to the full Axon Academy online training library

Axon says the offer will allow departments to assess the technology before they invest taxpayer dollars in the program.

"Cameras are the first of many steps toward a future where officers feel more confident and are freed from mundane report writing to focus more time on community policing," says Smith.

Smith says the company name change reflects its evolution from just manufacturing less-lethal weapons to "a full solutions provider of cloud and mobile software, connected devices, wearable cameras, and now artificial intelligence.

"Taser will remain one of our flagship products, but now as a single focused product brand for our suite of Smart Weapons. Axon is the company we have become."

Photo via Axon