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March 3, 2026
ITEM TITLE
Technology Impact Report: Presentation of Axon’s Software Solution Known as Prepared Report Number: 25-0302
Location: No specific geographic location
Department: Police
G.C. § 84308 Regulations Apply: No
Environmental Notice : The proposed act ivity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
Recommended Action
Adopt resolution approving a Second Amendment to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to add Prepared emergency response platform and approving use policy for Communications Center technology.
SUMMARY
The Police Department is interested in adding “Prepared,” an emergency response platform offered by Axon, to enhance operational efficiency in the Communications Center. This platform can be added at no cost, as it is included in the AI Era Leaders Program that the Police Department has been using since October 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed action was reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act ( “CEQA”), and it was determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQ A Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment. Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Police Department staff presented an action item about the Prepared by Axon emergency response platform to the Privacy Protection and Technology Advisory Commission during a special meeting held on February P a g e | 2
12th, 2026. During that meeting, the Commission unanimously approved the recommendation of Prepared by Axon for use in the Chula Vista Police Department’s Communication Center.
DISCUSSION
The Police Department seeks to amend a current purchasing agreement with Axon by adding a software solution designed to enhance the efficiency of emergency call takers within the Communications Center. This technology aims to equip personnel with advanced tools to improve accuracy, deliver critical lifesaving information to responding units, and elevate the overall level of service provided to the community.
While this type of technology represents a relatively new application within the law enforcement field, its underlying concept is well -established. The Department’s ongoing missi on has been to identify innovative solutions to address staffing shortages and mitigate the workload placed upon existing personnel. Prepared by Axon is an AI-assisted software platform that aligns with these goals by offering capabilities that directly support operational efficiency and service improvement.
Overview of the Communications Center
The Chula Vista Police Department’s Communications Center serves as the City’s Public Safety Answering Point ( “PSAP”), operating 24/7 to receive and manage all 9-1-1 and non -emergency calls. When a call is received, trained public safety dispatchers quickly gather critical information, determine the urgency of the situation, and coordinate the appropriate police, fire, or medical response. Using advanced technolo gy, dispatchers create and track incidents, assign field units, and maintain real -time communication to ensure public safety resources are deployed efficiently and effectively.
The Communications Center relies on several integrated systems to manage this p rocess. The call-handling system captures incoming call data and caller location, while the Computer Aided Dispatch software (“CAD”) provides real -time mapping, unit tracking, and incident management. Dispatchers maintain continuous contact with field pers onnel via secure radio communications to coordinate responses and relay critical updates.
To protect community privacy, all systems operate under strict access controls, data retention rules, and auditing processes. Sensitive information is safeguarded according to state law, and cybersecurity measures are in place to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of communications. Together, trained professionals and modern technology allow the Communications Center to deliver fast, accurate, and secure emerg ency response services to the residents of Chula Vista.
Overview of Prepared by Axon
The City of Chula Vista recognizes the value of technology and innovation in enhancing staff’s ability to provide public services. Implementing Axon’s Prepared suite of solutions would further enhance technology solutions that are already in place. These solutions empower public safety personnel to work smarter and faster, seamlessly connecting 911, dispatch, Real Time Crime Center (“RTCC”), and Drone as First Responder (“DFR”) programs through AI-enhanced insight and automation.
Prepared enhances the City’s ability to detect, assess, and respond to incidents faster, delivering live call data, real-time analytics, and automated oversight that help Chula Vista provide superior public safety services to our community.
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To follow is a brief overview of the suite of solutions offered through Prepared.
Assistive Call-Taking (ACT): Real-Time Accuracy and Transparency ACT transcribes, translates, and summarizes 911 calls in real time , automatically pushing call audio, transcripts, and location data into Fusus and DFR platforms. This gives the RTCC and DFR operators immediate visibility into developing situations before a CAD entry is even made.
Operational Benefits:
• Faster DFR activat ion: Real -time summaries help operators deploy drones immediately when a verified emergency occurs.
• Improved situational awareness: 911 call data auto -plots on Fusus, displaying caller location, incident type, and context.
• Reduced latency: Officers and drone operators gain actionable insight without waiting for dispatcher relays.
• Enhanced accountability: Transcriptions and summaries support accurate reporting and QA documentation.
• Translation: For non-English speaking callers.
Impact for Chula Vista: ACT co nnects the City’s 911 center and its DFR program —enabling rapid decision- making, improved officer safety, and more efficient resource deployment.
Automated Non-Emergency Triage (“ANET”): Reducing Non-Critical Call Volume ANET uses conversational AI to handle and route non -emergency 10-digit calls. It identifies caller intent, answers routine inquiries, and forwards only true emergencies to live call-takers.
Key Capabilities:
• Conversational AI that dynamically interacts with callers—no phone trees. • Immediate escalation of emergencies to live operators. • Routing of administrative and quality-of-life calls to the appropriate department. • Collection of actionable data for call trend analysis.
Benefits for Chula Vista:
• Efficiency: Reduces PSAP workload by 50–60%, freeing dispatchers to focus on emergencies. • Citizen satisfaction: Provides a frustration-free alternative to long-hold times. • Analytics: Provides insight into non-emergency call trends, supporting resource planning.
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• Integration: ANET outputs flow into AQA and ACT for tracking the lifecycle of a call and quality review.
This capability directly aligns with Chula Vista’s innovation and technology goals—automating low-priority workflows and improving overall service delivery.
Automated Quality Assurance (“AQA”): Insight and Accountability Prepared’s AQA module reviews 100% of 911 and 10 -digit calls automatically, ensuring consistency, compliance, and transparency across the communications center.
Core Benefits:
• Efficiency: Cuts manual QA time from 20 minutes per call to seconds. • Accuracy: Provides consistent, objective scoring across all calls. • Transparency: Produces analytics dashboards viewable by supervisors and administrators. • Continuous improvement: Identifies performance trends, coaching opportunities, and excellence.
Integration with Fusus, RTCC, and DFR:
• Prepared’s real-time data pipeline integrates seamlessly with Fusus, powering Chula Vista’s RTCC and DFR workflows.
Integration Advantages:
• Unified incident feed: All 911 calls auto-plot on Fusus maps. • Real-time transcription: Call audio and summaries appear instantly in RTCC dashboards. • Evidence retention: Audio, transcripts, and summaries integrate into investigative timelines.
Conclusion
By adopting Prepared ACT, ANET, and AQA, the City of Chula Vis ta can advance its real -time policing and public safety innovation. These tools streamline communications, reduce response times, and enhance accountability, helping the City continue to deliver exceptional technology-driven, community-focused law enforcement.
Privacy and Security
Prepared by Axon is designed with privacy and accountability at its core. The system only allows for the flow of data from existing systems when required to support emergency response or investigative activities and does not retain any Personally Identifiable Information once that purpose is fulfilled. Each independent system that shares information via Prepared continues to have their specific retention schedule as detailed in the City’s master retention schedule. Furthermore , Prepared includes robust auditing and reporting features to ensure the appropriate use of all data, complementing existing auditing mechanisms already present within department systems. The department will be using the system’s auditing tools to perform P a g e | 5
periodic review of use and access to ensure compliance with city and department policies on the proper use of city resources and information.
Cloud Hosting
Prepared by Axon is hosted in a secure cloud environment (AWS GovCloud for U.S. deployments) and is designed for redundant, geographically diverse storage to ensure high availability and durability. The on -premises Prepared by Axon appliance connects outward (outbound only) to the cloud instance, reducing inbound attack surface.
Encryption & Key Management
Data both “at rest” and “in transit” is encrypted, using AES -256 (or stronger) and approved cryptographic modules (FIPS 140-2 compliant).
Transport uses TLS (e.g., TLS 1.3) between on-premises and cloud to secure the connection. Key management and certificate management policies are in place for the cloud service.
Third-Party Security Audits & Compliance Standards
Axon cloud services (including Prepared) are designed to be compliant with the CJIS Security Policy version 6.0
Axon represents that it is aligned with standards and certifications including ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2/SOC 3, FedRAMP High (for federal customers).
Applicable Standards & Policies for Axon
CJIS Security Policy version 5.9.1 (for Criminal Justice Information). Axon Trust Center | Powered by SafeBase (https://trust.axon.com/?itemUid=eefdeb50-486d-4a61-8b8a- 6999da6c5cb9&source=click)
ISO/IEC 27001 (information security management system) and related ISO/IEC standards. Axon Trust Center | Powered by SafeBase (https://trust.axon.com/?itemUid=5c93ca3e-519a-4260-a50a- a9de78294538&source=click)
SOC 3 (Trust Service Principles) audit for cl oud services. Axon Trust Center | Powered by SafeBase (https://trust.axon.com/?itemUid=b2671060-5c66-4d9c-b70f-af4ab3dbd45a&source=click) FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules for encryption key management.
Policy Compliance
Under the City’s Privacy Protection and Technology Transparency Policy (Policy 112-04; effective November 1, 2022), Prepared by Axon technology qualifies as Sensitive Technology. The required Use Policy is presented for City Council consideration and approval with this action (Attachment 4). The Police Department has fully adhered to all requirements and reporting obligations outlined in this policy throughout the procurement and evaluation process.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff have reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and have determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the real property holdings of the City Council members do not create a disqualifying real P a g e | 6
property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff are not independently aware and have not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter.
CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this resolution will approve a Second Amendment to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to add the Prepared emergency response platform. This platform is included in the AI Era Leaders Program that the Police Department is currently using and there is no additional cost to the City. Consequently, there is no fiscal impact as a result of this action.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
There is no ongoing fiscal impact as a result of this action. The Axon Master Services and Purchasing Agreement ends on January 31, 2029. After the life of the contract, the department will solicit new bids for the service.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Axon Master Services and Purchasing Agreement for Agency
2. First Amendment to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement
3. Second Amendment to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement
4. Assistive Call Taking Use Policy
Staff Contact: Acting Chief Dan Peak, Police Department Lieutenant Dustin Bruzee, Police Department