To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOE HOFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
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APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH AXON ENTERPRISE, INC. FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF 23 TASER MODEL 7 CONDUCTED ENERGY DEVICES, ACCESSORIES, AND EXTENDED WARRANTIES, FOR A FIVE-YEAR TERM BEGINNING AUGUST 1, 2025 THROUGH AUGUST 1, 2030, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $114,323.70, UTILIZING SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES FUNDS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Police Department seeks approval of an agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. (Axon) to purchase and service 23 Taser Model 7 conducted energy devices (CED), accessories, and extended warranties to supplement the current inventory of 70 Taser devices. The Taser is a less-than-lethal device that utilizes an electrical current to temporarily incapacitate a violent person. This sole source purchase will allow for the assignment of a Taser CED to sworn members of the Police Department which are on patrol, and to staff working in the City Jail. Axon is the sole source manufacturer of the Taser 7 devices.
BACKGROUND
The Taser electronic control weapon has proven to be an effective less-than-lethal device when dealing with violent and dangerous individuals. The Police Department currently has 70 Taser 7 devices available for 98 Police Officers and ten CSO II personnel assigned to the Jail.
Taser devices use compressed nitrogen to project two small probes up to twenty-five feet at a speed of over 160 feet per second. When the probes make contact with a person’s body or clothing, the Taser transmits an electrical impulse through two insulated wires which affect the person’s neuromuscular control and ability to perform coordinated action for a five-second duration. This technology provides a distinct tactical and public safety advantage to resolve critical incidents with a device designed to be a less-than-lethal force option.
The purchase of Axon Taser CED devices is presented as a sole-source purchase due to the equipment setting the industry standard in features, training, support, and a proven record of performance in both the field and legal arenas. Taser CED integration of features, including digital data logging, cartridge tracking, and connectivity to Axon’s cloud-based evidence system, Evidence.com, which also supports the existing Police Department body-worn camera system, renders other manufacturers offerings uncompetitive in this space. This exclusivity, coupled with deep integration into existing Department policy, training, and computer systems, makes Axon’s devices the only viable solution for a consistent, accountable use-of-force tool in this category.
During calendar year 2024, Redondo Beach Police Officers responded to more than 350 reports of aggravated or simple assaults. Sixty-six of those incidents involved an officer unholstering or displaying a Taser device to confront violence or threat(s) of violent conduct. Of these incidents, eleven involved the deployment of the device to overcome active resistance and take a person into custody.
Police Officers and Jail staff are required to take an eight-hour training course to be certified in Taser use. The course consists of a presentation, along with hands-on practical application exercises. In addition, the Officers and Jail staff are required to attend an annual recertification which consists of legal updates and additional practical application exercises.
Continued use of the Taser 7 is ideal to maintain consistency in training, interoperability, and serviceability for the Police Department. Axon is the only company that produces and distributes the Taser 7, making them the sole source provider for both the device and its cartridges. Axon Taser devices are the industry standard and, due to the high-risk nature of dangerous and/or violent encounters, are the most appropriate selection available in the marketplace.
The proposed Agreement with Axon will provide for the purchase of 23 additional Taser 7 devices to be added to the Police Department’s current inventory. Axon offers a five-year warranty on the devices, and the contract will span the length of the warranty. The total cost for the twenty-three devices is $114,323.70, which will be divided evenly across the five-year agreement.
COORDINATION
This Agreement was approved as to form, but not content, by the City Attorney’s Office, as it was derived from the vendor’s contract template.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost for the purchase, maintenance, and warranties of the 23 Taser 7 devices, accessories, and extended warranties is $114,323.70, to be paid over a five-year period at an annual cost of $22,864.74. Funding is available in the Police Department’s annual operating budget through Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funds (SLESF). No General Fund monies are required for the purchase.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agmt - Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Insurance - Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Sole Source Letter