Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: Cotati City Council
Subject: AXON ENTERPRISE CONTRACT
Date: July 28, 2026
Written by: Chris Simmons, Chief of Police
Angela Courter, Director of Administrative Services
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council approve a resolution authorizing a five-year contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for equipment and services for the Cotati Police Department, extending the existing services Axon is currently providing the Department.
Background
The Cotati Police Department was the first department in Sonoma County to fully transition to body worn cameras to ensure transparency while protecting the community, improved documentation of incidents for the District Attorney, and building trust with the public that we serve. Over time, various additional tools have been added to further our mission and best practices in policing, based on Axon Enterprise’s integrated public safety technology platform, including; TASER devices, body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, the Axon Evidence digital evidence management system, and associated support and maintenance. These systems are an integral part of the Department’s daily operations and are critical for evidence collection, storage, investigation, officer safety and case management.
The Cotati Police Department continues to be in contract with Axon. This has been a five-year contract that was approved in 2021 and includes industry standard equipment and services utilized by the majority of police agencies throughout the country. This current five-year contract is set to expire on July 31, 2026.
The proposed contract extension is another five-year agreement commencing on August 1, 2026, for the same or similar/upgraded equipment and systems.
Analysis/Discussion
The Cotati Police Department has utilized Axon for many years, including the currently expiring five year agreement. Axon is the provider of a fully integrated ecosystem that combines hardware (e.g.: TASER devices and cameras) with its proprietary cloud-based digital evidence management platform (Axon Evidence). Department staff are not aware of any other vendor that can provide the level of seamless compatibility with the Department’s existing Axon infrastructure that the Cotati Police Department currently uses.
The Department presently has five patrol vehicles upfitted with Axon dash-cameras, which also have ALPR capabilities. On July 14, 2026, these cameras were successfully installed by Axon to our fleet (two Ford Police Interceptor Hybrids, two Dodge Chargers, and one Ford Lightening).
When considering a contract extension, a key consideration is compatibility and platform continuity. Our officers have extensive experience with and are trained in the Axon system.
Axon is also the primary system used by law enforcement in Sonoma County, as well as the District Attorney and it aligns with industry standards. The Department’s current investment in Axon technology allows for compatibility with existing systems, including:
• Digital evidence storage and management workflows
• Officer-issued equipment and docking stations (e.g.: BWC and TASER 7) • Software systems and user accounts
Transitioning to another vendor would result in significant operational disruption, data migration challenges, and potential loss of functionality. Training and operational efficiency are key components with the utilization of Axon products. Introducing a different vendor would require:
• Extensive retraining of sworn and professional staff
• Additional administrative overhead
• Increased risk of operational inefficiencies and safety during transition Switching to a different vendor or hybridizing with other platforms would also incur substantial costs and likely outweigh any potential savings from alternative products, including but not limited to:
• Replacement of existing hardware
• Data migration and storage transition
• New software licensing and integration costs
• Training and downtime expenses
• Other administrative/work hours for market research
Axon provides advanced and reliable capabilities, including:
• End-to-end evidence management from capture to courtroom (Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office utilizes Axon Enterprise Inc. software). • Automated upload and categorization of digital evidence • Integration across multiple device types within a single platform (TASER, BWC, and In-Car Cameras)
• Established reliability and support tailored to law enforcement agencies Axon is believed to be the only vendor capable of meeting the Cotati Police Department’s operational, technical, and security requirements without substantial disruption or additional cost. Therefore, approval of a new contract will ensure continuity of public safety service to the community.
Financial Considerations
The estimated total cost with tax for five years is $279,821.80, which is $55,964.36 average per year (refer to attachments). Engaging in a five-year bundled services contract, as opposed to a year-to-year contract, results in cost savings of $207,989.03 ($41,597.81 average savings per year).
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.