In high-stakes situations, clear communication is essential for frontline personnel — whether in defense, law enforcement, or emergency response. A single word can change the course of an interaction, for better or for worse. When language barriers stand in the way, responders face added challenges: how to connect, calm, and protect when understanding is uncertain.

John Kauffman knows this better than most. He now works on Axon’s Security team, but earlier in his life he followed a long family tradition of military service by joining the U.S. Army at 17. That decision led him into a unique career as a crypto-linguist, a professional who translates and analyzes foreign language communications for intelligence purposes. He specialized in translating German and Russian communications in real time — work that demanded precision, empathy, and calm under pressure.

That experience shapes how John views translation today. Having witnessed firsthand the stakes of misunderstanding, he understands why the ability to overcome language barriers in the moment through technology like Real-Time Translation through Axon Assistant can be transformative for safety, trust, and connection in the field.

From language school to the front lines

John’s passion for languages started when he was a child, as he spent two years living in Germany. “I lived in a small farming village where I picked up a surprising amount of German...It felt like I had an affinity for languages.”

John followed this affinity further after enlisting in the Army, spending two years in language and technical schools learning to recognize, translate, and interpret complex communications. “[My work was] primarily about listening comprehension, which is a synthesis of understanding language, context of the speakers, plus technical knowledge, and capturing as much of that as we can in real-time interpretation,” he explained. “It’s translation plus context — basically, understanding each other’s main intent with communication.”

Over the years, his assignments took him across multiple regions and languages, each one teaching him the same lesson: in high-stakes environments, seconds matter — and so does understanding.

Seeing understanding happen in real time

Over years of translation work, John saw how quickly language could become a dividing line. “Miscommunication is at the heart of many tragedies,” he said. “It still happens even when everyone is speaking the same language. Add one or two more, and the risk of misunderstanding increases dramatically.”

That understanding is why John believes translation, when done right, can prevent escalation. “Interactions between law enforcement or the military and the public come with a level of tension automatically. Performing a traffic stop or operating a checkpoint creates significant risk on both sides. Being able to communicate effectively, including in a non-native language, is essential to minimize misunderstanding that leads to escalation of threat posture and response.”

When John first saw a recording of Axon Assistant’s Real-Time Translation channel being used in the field by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, it sparked a familiar memory from his language training.

“In our Russian course, about a month or two in, we watched a newscast. With the speed of speech and vocabulary, it was like we hadn’t learned anything,” he said. “But a few days before graduation, we watched the same recording and it wasn’t any different than listening to it in English. That was transformational.”

He saw that same realization play out in the recording. “The detained subject and the officers all realized, simultaneously, that they could communicate effectively through the Axon Body 4’s translation feature,” he said. “That moment — when both sides understand each other — is powerful.”

A support tool, not a substitute

John remembers that translation technology used to be inefficient and inaccurate, but that has changed with the introduction of AI. “Machine translation tools have been around a long time, and they’re notoriously unreliable,” he said. “But large language models have changed that. Feed them good material to train on and you get good results.”

“Translation is one of the things AI is actually quite good at,” he added. “No system will be 100 percent accurate, but being 90 percent right in seconds is better than being perfect in 15 minutes, because in those 15 minutes, a situation can change completely.”

He also praised Real-Time Translation’s language auto-detection capability. “Let’s consider Slavic languages — all related, all share some elements, but also very different. Even with training, I often have to listen for a while to narrow it down. In the first few seconds, Axon Assistant nails that for us.”

However, John is clear that technology should never replace trained interpreters. “Axon Assistant isn’t a replacement for human interpreters at scale,” he said. “It’s meant to help overcome language barriers and determine whether and when additional support is needed.”

The ultimate goal of Real-Time Translation — much like John’s work as a crypto-linguist — is comprehension. The technology enables responders to bridge language barriers in the moment, combining translation with situational awareness so both parties can quickly understand each other’s main intent.

John sees the promise of translation technology not only in reducing risk but also in expanding what safety and mission success can mean. “Much is said about community engagement — the idea that those who serve aren’t just there to respond to incidents, but to build understanding and trust with the people they protect,” he said. “Real-Time Translation will enable many more teams to do just that in places or situations where language barriers once stood in the way.”

Across both civilian and military contexts, John believes the impact could be transformative. “For units or agencies that already have language specialists, Real-Time Translation could enhance their capabilities — allowing linguists and analysts to focus on context and intent,” he explained. “Meanwhile, the technology handles translation in real time.”

The bigger picture

John’s lessons from linguistics still guide how he works today. “My prior experience gives me additional points of reference when interacting with our very international employee population [at Axon],” he said.

When asked what he hopes others take away from his story, John shared, “It comes down to understanding. When people can understand each other — even imperfectly — tension drops, trust builds, and everyone walks away safer. That’s what communication is for.”

Axon Real-Time Translation helps responders understand in seconds, not minutes — bridging communication gaps, supporting de-escalation, and strengthening trust between them and the communities they serve. Learn more at axon.com/products/real-time-translation.