The future of police technology was on full display at the Axon Roadshow on Tuesday (May 28), outside the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.
“One of the biggest challenges for policing is how they go through their training regularly,” said Vishal Dhir, Axon Americans senior vice president. “Most of the time, that training is resource intensive.”
At the Axon Roadshow, various technologies were on display, including new tasers, drones, camera technology, a virtual reality training suite for police officers, and an AI assistant transcribing body cam footage from individual officers.
An officer can spend up to a quarter of their day working on their notes and can take away from serving their community and going out on patrol.
“We can translate a video, whether a drone or a body camera system. You can take that audio-visual and transcribe it,” Dhir said.
A new Automate Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system was on display that can incorporate the AI assistant with camera technology.
“The typical cost of an ALPR facility is $50,000 to $70,000 per car,” he said. “You can integrate both those technologies for less than half the cost.”
The virtual reality demonstration demonstrated proper taser operation and can be customized with 26 scenarios, providing officers with valuable additional training.
“An immersive VR technology allows you to take five to 10 minutes, learn more about somebody that might be suffering from autism, and how to respond to that situation,” Dhir said.
The 26 scenarios range from an officer attending a mental health crisis to somebody who might have schizophrenia.
A new Taser Seven was on display. It will replace the X26T, the model that most BC police forces use, alongside the Taser Ten, which has yet to be approved by the Province.
Dhir said that in Canada, a Taser is very rarely shot and is mainly used to de-escalate a situation.
“About 85 to 95 per cent of the time,” he said.
The new Taser Seven will have an arc switch that energizes it but does not deploy it, allowing for better control in short-range situations.
Tasers that are equipped with the arc switch and capable of giving a warning shot first. The X26T does not have this feature.
B.C. police chiefs are applying to the province to start using the Taser Ten in their departments, according to Dhir.
READ MORE: Major League power and a new look: Victoria HarbourCats set to open 2024 season
