Axon Body 3 in Action: Taking on “Terrorists” at Verizon’s and Nokia's Operation Convergent Response
Our latest body camera, Axon Body 3, launched recently. Agencies all over the country are already using it to capture clearer evidence than ever before, but today we wanted to cover a unique way that Body 3 was used “out in the wild.”
Feb 18, 2020
It’s a parade on a busy street. Armed terrorists suddenly appear and flood a luxury hotel filled with civilians. Law enforcement officers arrive quickly and storm in after them, hoping to end the attack quickly and without any civilian casualties.
Thank goodness this isn’t real, think Axon representatives Jason Laumeyer and Rich Allen, who are observing a simulated exercise at Verizon’s and Nokia's Operation Convergent Response 2019 (#OCR2019). OCR is a unique event that brings together first responders to witness real-world demos of the latest technologies in public safety. The most recent event took place at the Guardian Centers in Perry, Georgia. As shots rang out and helicopters flew overhead, the Guardian Centers was “under attack” by terrorists. And our latest body camera, Axon Body 3, was there to capture the action.
“It was like being on a movie set,” said Axon’s Laumeyer, “only all of the first responder ‘actors’ have to be prepared for this type of situation to happen in real life. It gave us a new appreciation for what public safety deals with and why it’s so important for Axon and Verizon to team up to help.”
Indeed, the partnership between Axon and Verizon is, in part, what makes Axon Body 3 our most impactful device yet. It’s the first body-worn camera for law enforcement on Verizon’s network dedicated to first responders, which offers preemption and priority service. That means the connected features of Body 3, like live maps and live streaming, can remain up and running in critical situations by being prioritized over commercial wireless traffic. In turn, officers and agencies can respond with greater safety and effectiveness.
Building more effective responses is exactly why OCR came to be. As critical incidents become increasingly more complex, technology can be deployed in new ways to help. Alongside other technologies, our cameras were in full effect during the fake-but-chillingly-realistic terror attack, recording clear evidence and audio, and giving remote observers the ability to see officer locations and live streams as the incident unfolded. After the fact, several participants asked if they could use the footage for training purposes to help reinforce the lessons they learned while at OCR. It was an exercise in collaboration across the board.
We hope none of the scenarios from OCR ever manifest in the real world. But if they do, we are glad to partner with companies like Verizon to equip the men and women of public safety with the latest technologies.
To learn more about the connected features of Axon Body 3, click here. For more information on Verizon’s public safety solutions, click here. And for more about #OCR2019, click here.