Clearlake council OKs five‑year Axon contract for body cameras, citing officer safety and audit tools

The Clearlake City Council on Nov. 3 approved a five‑year agreement with Axon Enterprises to provide 30 body‑worn cameras and digital evidence management for the police department.

Acting Lieutenant Peterson and Chief White presented the proposal, saying the initial year cost would be $37,031.70 and each subsequent year about $33,837.86, for a five‑year total of $172,383.14. Staff noted the proposed package adds unlimited cloud storage, the Axon Respond officer‑location feature and Axon Performance audit tools that automatically surface random videos for supervisory review. Police staff told the council these features would help officer safety (GPS when officers are on foot) and make supervisory audits more efficient.

"The initial cost would be $37,031.70 for the first year, and then each additional year after that would be $33,837.86," Acting Lieutenant Peterson said. Chief White emphasized the operational benefits and said video evidence has repeatedly clarified complaints.

Councilmembers asked whether existing cameras would be replaced and how the licensing costs would be apportioned. Staff said existing devices would be rotated out under the vendor’s replacement program and that the city would spread costs across contributing funds (code enforcement, animal control, Measure P where applicable). Staff also reviewed activation policy: cameras have a 30‑second pre‑buffer of video (no audio) and officers must activate recording in specified instances (traffic stops, potential use of force, domestic violence, etc.), with limited carve‑outs for privacy or hospital settings.

Councilmember Overton and others supported the purchase, citing cases where video resolved disputed complaints; some members questioned price increases but accepted the vendor’s integrated functionality as necessary for modern policing. The motion to adopt Resolution 2022‑63 passed unanimously by roll call.

Next steps: the police department will finalize contract execution, schedule camera rotation and report back on initial audit metrics after implementation.