Axon Auto-Tagging

Axon Auto-Tagging takes information from your Computer-Aided Dispatch and/or Records Management System and tags it to your evidence in Axon Evidence. By automating the addition of critical metadata to evidence, Auto-Tagging can improve efficiency for an organization and help avoid issues caused by typographical errors. It reduces the risk of prematurely deleting evidence or being unable to find the appropriate evidence, which can impact an otherwise solid investigation and prosecution.

Watch this video to learn more about Auto-Tagging.

Graphic showing the Auto-Tagging workflow from dispatch and records systems to tagged evidence in Axon Evidence.

How Auto-Tagging works

For each entry in the CAD/RMS database export, the Auto-Tagging service uses the Officer Badge ID, Officer Dispatched Datetime, and Officer Cleared Datetime, to search for footage that an officer uploaded or recorded, and which started within the call’s timeframe. If started within the timeframe, one call for service entry can match and tag metadata to more than one video. For self-initiated traffic stops, Axon has a configurable buffer period. We don’t recommend configuring this buffer period over 4-5 minutes as it may introduce too many incorrect matches. If a recording is started 4 minutes before an officer is either dispatched, or put active on a call, the recording is tagged via Auto-Tagging. If the Officer Badge ID within the CAD/RMS database export doesn’t match any Badge IDs within Axon DEMS, then Axon won’t find footage specific to the officer, and won’t apply that footage to their shift’s active calls.

FAQ

Why is Auto-Tagging valuable?

When officers manually tag videos with metadata, many videos are either tagged with incorrect information or aren’t tagged at all. Auto-Tagging automates this process and reduces human error so that you have complete and accurate information.

How long does it take to manually tag videos?

Manually tagging a video takes up to 3 minutes. If officers record 5 videos per shift and work 16 shifts per month, then each officer spends 4 hours per month entering metadata. Some organizations estimate that automation could reduce each officer’s productivity costs by $200 per month.

What metadata can an agency add via Auto-Tagging?

Axon tags the following fields via Auto-Tagging:

  • ID
  • Title
  • Retention Category
  • Tags
  • Location
  • Custom metadata

Which evidence files does Auto-Tagging automatically add metadata to?

Axon can apply metadata to video, audio, and images from the following evidence sources:

  • BWC
  • Flex
  • Fleet
  • Capture
  • Air
  • Upload XT v2
  • Axon Evidence uploads
  • Community Request individual invites
  • Partner API uploads

For each entry in the CAD/RMS database export, the Auto-Tagging service uses the Officer Badge ID, Officer Dispatched Datetime, and Officer Cleared Datetime, to search for footage that an officer uploaded or recorded, and which started within the call’s timeframe.

If started within the timeframe, one call for service entry can match and tag metadata to more than one video. For self-initiated traffic stops, Axon has a configurable buffer period. We don’t recommend configuring this buffer period over 4-5 minutes as it may introduce too many incorrect matches. If a recording is started 4 minutes before an officer is either dispatched, or put active on a call, the recording is tagged via Auto-Tagging.

If the Officer Badge ID within the CAD/RMS database export doesn’t match any Badge IDs within Axon DEMS, then Axon won’t find footage specific to the officer, and won’t apply that footage to their shift’s active calls.

When does Auto-Tagging take place?

Your agency configures Auto-Tagging to trigger in one of two ways:

  • An agency sends Axon CAD/RMS database export.
  • A user uploads footage.

Axon immediately tags uploaded footage if:

  • The CAD call was successfully processed on a previous export.
  • A user uploads footage.

What happens when an officer manually enters metadata into Axon DEMS before Auto-Tagging takes place?

  • If the metadata is different from the Event ID in the CAD/RMS database export, then Axon won’t update any metadata for this footage.
  • If the metadata is the same as the Event ID or Report Number in the CAD/RMS database export, then Axon will append Retention Categories, Tags, and Location.
  • If the metadata is the same as the Event ID in the CAD/RMS database export, and if a report number was specified, then Axon will replace the manually entered ID with the Report Number, and will append Retention Categories, Tags, and Locations.
  • If the metadata doesn’t match the specified Auto-Tagging regex, then Axon will replace the manually entered ID with either the Event ID or Report Number, and will append Retention Categories, Tags, and Location.

In all cases, the Title will follow the logic configured by your organization.

Is the Auto-Tagging regex the same as the Axon Evidence regex?

No. Auto-Tagging regex and Axon Evidence regex are two independent regexes.

Can I have a different Auto-Tagging regex for Event ID and for Report Number?

Yes. You can configure two separate regexes for the two fields.

Can one CAD entry tag multiple videos?

Auto-Tagging will tag multiple videos with metadata from one call entry.

How does auto tagging work if there are multiple officers assigned to the same call?

To tag footage from multiple officers, Auto-Tagging requires two CAD entries in the export: one for the Primary officer and one for the Secondary officer.