Axon partners with U.S. Customs & Border Protection to support agents with body cameras & digital evidence management system

Axon today announced that the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency (CBP) signed a $13 million contract to equip 3,800 border patrol agents with Axon Body 3 cameras backed by Axon Evidence.

Axon Evidence is a US General Services Administration FedRAMP-Authorized cloud-based digital evidence management solution available to federal law enforcement. This order was received in the third quarter of 2020 and will ship in multiple phases throughout 2020 and 2021.

The Axon Incident-Driven Video Recording System (IDVRS) will provide additional documentation during enforcement incidents and provide invaluable evidence to support Agents as they do their job. These cameras will also provide a layer of transparency that benefits both the Agents and the public. This new technology will allow CBP to be more efficient and better serve the American public.

Beginning in the spring of 2021, the IDVRS will be deployed in phases to the following USBP sectors: San Diego, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Big Bend, Del Rio, Rio Grande Valley, and Swanton sector on the northern border.

"Axon is proud to partner with the world class law enforcement agency that is the U.S. Border Patrol. We will increase agent safety and allow for more accountability with our new body camera program of record," said Axon Federal Vice President and General Manager, Richard Coleman. "We look forward to continuing our support of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection."

Policies guiding the use of the IDVRS are in their early stages, and specific details regarding the rollout of the system will be forthcoming in spring 2021.

CBP conducted a body-worn camera feasibility study in 2014, followed by a six-month operational evaluation in 2018. The evaluation recommended a targeted deployment to locations where cameras can provide the greatest benefit to both the public and agents.