City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 17, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.R
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Subject: Award an Agreement with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for Taser Devices for the Police Department
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for Taser 10 devices for the Police Department. This recommended award is made as an exemption to the competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250 (c) and is for a total amount not to exceed $1,840,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The Santa Monica Police Department (“SMPD”) currently utilizes the Taser Model 7 device. The Taser 7 is a conductive energy device (“CED”) which is a self-defense tool relied upon by officers to overcome the resistance presented by violent or combative suspects. The Police Department’s current Taser 7 equipment is approaching the end of its expected useful life, and its current warranty expires in January 2026. After that date, the equipment will no longer be serviced by Axon Enterprises, Inc. (“Axon”), thereby rendering any units requiring maintenance or software updates unusable.
Axon’s latest conductive energy device, the Taser 10, has significant improvements and reliability over the current devices utilized by SMPD. City staff recommends that the Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Axon in 2 of 5
the amount $1,840,000 over a five-year period, for the Taser 10 devices for the Police Department.
Discussion
It is the policy of SMPD that all its members hold the highest regard for the sanctity of human life, and the dignity and liberty of all persons. Each member of SMPD is entrusted with being a guardian of public safety, and the decision to use force, even at its lowest level, is a serious responsibility. When feasible, and after considering the totality of circumstances, SMPD personnel shall utilize de-escalation strategies and techniques to minimize, divert, or eliminate conflicts and uses of force. Decisions regarding use of force must be made in a manner that is fair and unbiased.
Every sworn and custody officer of the SMPD is provided with equipment, training, and skills to assist in the apprehension and control of suspects as well as the protection of officers and the public. One of the less lethal force tools utilized by the SMPD is the taser, a CED manufactured by Axon Enterprises, Inc. The taser is intended to control a violent or potentially violent individual, while minimizing the risk of serious injury to both the officer and the individual. SMPD anticipates that the appropriate use of such devices will continue to result in fewer serious injuries to both police personnel and suspects. Only members who have successfully completed Department-approved training are issued and approved to carry a taser device. Taser devices are used when it is reasonably necessary to control a person who is:
• Violent, actively aggressive, and poses an immediate threat to the safety of an officer or others;
• By their words or actions demonstrates the intention to be violent or to physically resist, and reasonably appears to pose an immediate threat to the safety of themselves, officer(s) or others.
SMPD has deployed CED’s since the early 1990s. These devices have repeatedly proven themselves to be a valuable tool that has significantly changed the way law 3 of 5
enforcement deals with violent and resistive suspects. It has been credited by multiple studies with reducing injuries to both suspects and officers. The Santa Monica Police Department has only deployed conductive energy weapons manufactured by Axon Enterprises, Inc. (formerly known as Taser International) for two primary reasons. First, Axon shares the Department’s goal to uphold the sanctity of life in their “Moonshot Goal” to reduce gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% in the next 10 years. Second, Axon is the only manufacturer to provide a consistently reliable product of this type in the market that has been studied and been subject to favorable rulings in litigation.
Axon has recently introduced the Taser 10 CED, which offers significant technological improvements over the Department’s existing Taser 7 CED. Axon CEDs have technological features that are patented and proprietary in nature; therefore, none of these features can be acquired from any other CED manufacturer. Examples of the Taser 10 new features and improvements include:
• Increased range to 45 feet, allowing for a safer distance to de-escalate or take action.
• Improved penetration to address loose or thick clothing worn by a subject. • Improved “Neuromuscular Incapacitation” and effectiveness by creating the desired dart spread.
• Integration with Axon VR to increase training opportunities and reduce training round costs
One noticeable impact in the transition from Taser 7 to Taser 10 will be the potential for reduced dart consumption and replacement, both in field use as well as in training.
Currently, a Taser 7 deployment utilizes one cartridge which contains two darts. If that deployment is ineffective due to a miss or clothing obstruction, two more darts are deployed. Likewise, annual recertification currently requires firing two “Live” cartridges (4 darts) to demonstrate proficiency. After transitioning to the Taser 10, each cartridge holds 10 individual darts fired one-at-a-time. This not only allows the user to create the 4 of 5
necessary dart spread to apprehend the subject, but if one dart misses or is obstructed, then potentially only one more dart would be needed. Additionally, because Taser 10 integrates with Axon’s Virtual Reality training platform, users can maintain proficiency or improve decision making through Virtual Reality scenarios without the need for the current quantity of cartridges used for training purposes. Finally, the Taser 10 CEDs have an asset life of five years, which represents no loss in reliability from the previous model.
Vendor Selection
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends Axon Enterprises Inc to furnish and deliver/provide Taser 10 devices as an exception to competitive bidding per Muni Code 2.24.250 (c): Competitive procedures were followed by a governmental agency, federal, state, county, city, joint powers agency, special district, or cooperative purchasing agency and the good or services are supplied to the City at the same or better price.
On December 21, 2022, the University of Nebraska entered into Contract #3544-21-4615 with Axon Enterprises, Inc for the Purchase of Body Worn Cameras and Related Products and Services, which included the Taser 10 devices. This contract was amended on May 18, 2023 extending the contract term through December 20, 2030. Under the terms of the contract, the City of Santa Monica seeks to piggyback from the University of Nebraska’s contract under the same terms and prices. c. competitive procedures were followed by a governmental agency, federal, state, county, city, joint powers agency, special district, or cooperative purchasing agency and the goods or services are supplied to the City at the same or better price;
Environmental Review
The purchase agreement for taser devices is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The agreement would provide tasers for use by the SMPD. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
12/15/20 (attachment
A)
Approval of Purchase Order with Axon Enterprises, Inc for Purchase of Taser for Police Department
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Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund to award an agreement with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for Taser 10 devices for the Police Department.
Agreement Request
FY 2024-25
Request Amount Future Years Department Account #
Total Contract
Amount
$417,674 $1,422,326 01180005.529230 $1,840,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jose Arroyo, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. December 15, 2020 Staff Report (Web Link)
B. Levine Act Disclosure Form - AXON
C. Oaks Initiative Form - Axon