TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the Axon Field Trial Agreement By and Between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., Allowing the North Port Police Department to Conduct a No-Cost Trial of Voice Translation, Self-Generating Reports, and Cloud Services for Evaluation Purposes.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve the Axon Field Trial Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., allowing the North Port Police Department to conduct a no-cost trial of voice translation, self-generating reports, and cloud services for evaluation purposes.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve the Axon Field Trial Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., allowing the North Port Police Department to conduct a no-cost trial of voice translation, self-generating reports, and cloud services for evaluation purposes.
• Pros: This Agreement allows the North Port Police Department to evaluate modern Axon products and cloud services at no cost; supporting informed future procurement decisions while enhancing operational efficiency; Officer safety; and maintaining standard liability limitations.
• Cons: Without a no-cost trial, the North Port Police Department could commit funds to a solution that does not meet operational needs or support departmental goals.
Option 2: Deny the Axon Field Trial Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., allowing the North Port Police Department to conduct a no-cost trial of voice translation, self-generating reports, and cloud services for evaluation purposes.
• Pros: Staff have not identified any foreseeable benefits to denying the Axon Field Trial Agreement.
• Cons: Prevents the North Port Police Department from evaluating Axon products; limits our ability to determine whether the technology meets operational needs; and increases the risk of spending funds on a solution that may not be a good fit.
Background Information
Axon Enterprise, Inc. has offered the City of North Port Police Department the opportunity to participate in a no-cost trial of Axon products and related cloud services under a General Field Trial Agreement. The trial period may last up to 90 days, unless extended by Axon, and is intended solely for evaluation purposes.
Under the Agreement, Axon will activate a software feature for the North Port Police Department at no cost. At the conclusion of the trial period, any data uploaded during the trial must be downloaded by the City.
The Axon Field Trial Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., allowing the North Port Police Department to conduct a no-cost trial of voice translation, self-generating reports, and cloud services for evaluation purposes has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct as to form.
The Axon Field Trial Agreement by and between the City of North Port, Florida, for the North Port Police Department and Axon Enterprise, Inc., allowing the North Port Police Department to conduct a no-cost trial of voice translation, self-generating reports, and cloud services for evaluation purposes was submitted to the City Clerk’s Office on February 25, 2026, for signature, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Safe Community
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Axon Field Trial Agreement
2. Florida Division of Corporations
Prepared by: Christopher Morales, Deputy Chief of Police
Jamie Ebershoff, Executive Assistant
Department Director: Todd R. Garrison, Chief of Police