City councilors agreed to a new five-year contract with Axon for $3,465,347, which adds $380,000 annually to its body camera/taser expenses line item. The city has contracted with Axon for camera and support services for $312,000. The new system will cost $698,000 annually.
The technology called Draft One is being beta-tested in the department and has been reviewed by state prosecutors, who said it's needed in judicial offices. Among other things, the software's central goal is to save time and eliminate bias in report writing that can take hours.
Meriden is the first city in the state to offer the Axon services to its department, according to a company representative.
"This is the best stuff in the game," City Manager Brian Daniels told the Finance and Public Safety Committee last month.."This is the stuff that improves the Police Department . When I looked at the virtual reality and translations, I looked at it as improving connections to the community."
The artificial intelligence software offers assistance in the first draft, including translation transcription services. Officer Danny Cruz told councilors he was impressed with the software's ability to understand variations in the Spanish language. The officers upload audio from their body or cruiser cameras and the police interview room into a rough draft. The software even provides nonsense phrases that the officer must delete to ensure editing throughout; a supervisor signs off on the final report, police said.
"It takes the audio and puts it all together for you," Cruz said. "It pushes the officer to read it thoroughly. It allows you to put in extra information. You can save an officer an hour of time for typing. To remember everything you said, the back and forth, takes hours. Things an officer forgets, you'll find in the report."
Rosado said the software will help reduce overtime by significantly reducing the amount of time it takes a police officer to file a report. The official report is covered under state Freedom of Information laws, Rosado said.
"You can probably save lives with this new feature of translation," Rosado said.
Mayor Kevin Scarpati , who attended a training session at the police station, was sold on the service and software.
"Why can't we be the first?" Scarpati said Monday, adding that the new technology will boost recruitment and retention efforts within the department.
But not every councilor was convinced.
"I'm concerned with increasing expenses and our tax liability," said Minority Leader Dan Brunet . "Those overtime reductions need to be quantified. What we're doing is creating bills."
Republican Councilor Michael Carabetta echoed Brunet's cost concerns. Republican Councilor Michael Zakrzewski , a former police officer, abstained from voting.
Axon will also add virtual reality training to the services in the contract, in addition to firearm and taser training. A key benefit, officials said, is the training can be done in a conference room instead of sending officers off-site. Axon also said there is community training, which simulates how a person with English as a second language, autism or schizophrenia may respond in a high-stress situation. According to Rosado, virtual reality training can replicate how lights and sirens impact those with autism or schizophrenia.
"It shows you what that person may be going through," said Detective Dave Visconti . "It takes you down that path."
The replacement costs for cameras and equipment are included in the contract.
The city received 2024 pricing and $600,000 off the total cost. The service begins in July 2025 . The line item increase will appear in 2026.
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