As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we sat down with our HOLA Affinity Group leaders, Andrea Cordero-Rivera,Associate Chief of Staff, and Maggie Duarte, Revenue Accountant, to discuss their careers, cultures, and how the two interact. HOLA, Hispanic Origin and Latin Americans at Axon, is our newest Affinity Group, dedicated to spreading awareness and celebration of this community.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

Andrea: My proudest moment was when I made the decision to leave my country, family, friends and everything I’ve ever known to follow my professional dreams. Moving 2,940 miles away from home wasn’t easy, but I felt empowered and determined to do so for myself. This has shaped the way I perform at work and my constant desire to grow.
Maggie: I can’t point to one exact moment, but I do have two Master’s degrees. That’s definitely an accomplishment.


How have your culture and heritage shaped you as a person, including any traditions that hold particular meaning or importance to you?

Maggie: I grew up in a neighborhood that is predominantly Hispanic and on the lower economic spectrum. My grandmother moved to the US when she was in the 3rd grade. Her entire life, she always wanted much more for the younger generation. Raising me, she instilled in me that higher education was the gold standard. In my family, they encouraged me to continue education and they wouldn’t “let” me fail. Whatever it took, they were there to support me all the way.
Andrea: It shapes everything in my life, not only how I behave but also how I interpret, decide, and act in my social reality. My culture has been fundamental in keeping me close to my country, despite the pressures of assimilation while living in the US It is not only about keeping my rituals, norms, and interpretations; it’s also about keeping my feet on the ground every time something comes up. It is the constant reminder of who I am and where I come from.


How are your culture and heritage reflected in your work?

Maggie: As a Hispanic/Latinx person, we usually come from big integrated families. Because of this, I’ve learned to work in the space at Axon with no problem at all! On a serious note, I tend to over-compensate for things and stretch myself too thin to get something done. It’s not for me, but for the group/family as a whole is what’s important.
Andrea: Being Puerto Rican has given me a lot of amazing qualities like working hard, being resilient, and a true passion for collaboration. I was raised being told 'si se puede' and as a result, every project I work on I give my 200% and get extremely passionate.

What is something about your community you would love your coworkers to know?

Andrea: I wish every person knew how important celebrations and holidays are for Hispanic countries. In Puerto Rico we celebrate EVERYTHING, quinceañeras, when your prima comes back home from the US, and my favorite, Navida (Christmas). A typical party around Christmas time starts at 6 am with the preparation of the lechon (pork) and parranda music in the background. While that gets done we make coquito for the entire neighborhood. And the actually party starts at 6 pm, I have so many beautiful memories around this holiday. These gatherings are truly part of our culture.
Maggie: Usually that family is extremely important. I view HOLA as an extended family and I want it to succeed.

Why did you volunteer to lead the HOLA affinity group?

Maggie: As I mentioned earlier, usually Hispanic/Latinx people tend to treat a group or environment as a whole, as family. It’s something similar to “it takes a village...” However, instead of raising a child, we tend to look out for each other as a group, as family. My desire to not let the family fail, to make sure that everyone is included and recognized or supported was so strong, is what prompted me to step up.
Andrea: I am a born and raised Puerto Rican who moved from the island to Arizona after graduating college in PR and I knew the challenges that came with that. I wanted to have a community within Axon to share my traditions and learn from others. I decided to launch HOLA because I knew we had a huge community of Hispanic/Latinx employees who were also looking for that. Someone had to put on the boots and get the job done, so I did and I couldn't be happier.

What is the best piece of advice you have received over the course of your career?

Andrea: “Always do what that makes you happy.” When my mom told me that for the first time I was 10 years old and I’ve applied it to every decision I’ve made since then. I believe it’s extremely important to prioritize happiness and my mental health because without those two...who are we?
Maggie: Always be true to myself, no matter what. I also liked what Jose Villegas, Axon's Senior Director Commercial Controllership recently said during our first HOLA event, to not let my background be a disability, but to use it as leverage in my career.


At Axon, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) is central to everything we do on our mission to Protect Life — from our products to workplace culture. Axon supports employee Affinity Groups to serve as core pathways for engaging our employees in our JEDI work, while also fostering belonging and professional development for their members. We’re taking bold steps to build for racial equity, diversity and inclusion, and we rely on the diverse perspectives of our employees to help us drive success. At Axon, everyone is a part of the JEDI team — come join us!

Andrea Cordero Rivera is part of Axon's Leadership Development Program and currently serves as the Associate Chief of Staff for the President's Office. Her most recent experience was as a Product Manager for Axon Virtual/Augmented Reality team. She has a passion for changing the way people do things, making life easier and more efficient. She currently serves as a co-leader for HOLA.

Maggie Duarte has worked at Axon for over 4 years. She works in our Finance Department/Revenue unit as a Revenue Accountant. Passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, she was a member of the Axon Allies LGBTQ+ Affinity Group for two years prior to stepping up to serve as co-leader for HOLA.  Maggie also serves on the Human Relations Advisory Board with the City of Mesa.

BLOG: Insights and Perspectives-Introducing Axon's newest Affinity Group Leaders

Insights and Perspectives-Introducing Axon's newest Affinity Group Leaders

At Axon, we place a high value on Product Design and user experience. We recognize how critical an intuitive and consistent user experience is to our customers’ and communities’ safety—including TASER devices, Digital Evidence Management, VR training, body cameras, and Records and Dispatch software. To learn more about how Axon maintains a competitive edge by valuing Product Design, we sat down with Daan Lindhout, our VP of Product Design & UX Research.

What sets the Axon Product Research & Design team apart?

Axon is working on meaningful problems around safety and justice that directly improve and protect the lives of people around the globe. Our products play a crucial role in getting people help when they need it and preserving truth. Working at Axon is an opportunity to apply your knowledge and insights for social good. It’s our mission to Protect Life that galvanizes our team of 45 Product Designers and UX Researchers, who are each passionate about improving communities around the world. 

The Product Design and UX Research team is well established at Axon. We have an Axon Design System that guides each new project and application with tremendous support from the larger organization. The entire company recognizes how critical our work is to Axon’s success in empowering our customers to keep communities safe. And the level of integration in our ecosystem, the ease with which our products work together, makes us an industry leader.

We start by ensuring we understand the needs of our users. Our UX Researchers conduct usability testing with customers across industries and use cases. Usability testing is an opportunity to get insight into customers’ workflows, observe them doing their jobs, and seek feedback on our product ideas. It’s a fantastic moment when we truly understand their perspective and experience, and then improve their experience through our products.

Our solutions are being used in pivotal moments when getting help faster and better can quite literally save lives. So, we prioritize ease of use, efficiency, effectiveness and consistency, with an emphasis on how we can achieve these tenants through connectivity—like a body cam automatically recording when sirens turn on or a TASER device is deployed.

Product design can be challenging work, especially given the complex social settings our products are used in. The Axon network needs to function seamlessly in the rapidly evolving, emotionally charged settings our customers encounter. It is important to note the scenarios our customers encounter differ. Axon products must flex to service customers around the globe, each with their own procedures, laws and social norms.

We’re growing rapidly, expanding our team to meet the needs of Axon’s expanding ecosystem of public safety solutions. Across the globe—from the US to Vietnam and remote—we’re hiring. I am really passionate not just about the work we do, but about the team we’ve built. There is nothing more rewarding than growing a team of driven individuals who are doing the best and most impactful work of their lives. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together and am excited about the innovations yet to come.

Daan Lindhout serves as the VP of Product Design & UX Research at Axon. He brings 21 years of experience designing successful complex consumer and enterprise solutions and 14 years starting, growing and leading multi-disciplinary UX Design & Research teams and defining and executing on corporate product strategy. A Product Designer by heart, he has a passion for starting and building UX Design & Research teams and developing talented designers and researchers.

BLOG: Axon Keeps a Competitive Edge by Prioritizing Product Design

Axon Keeps a Competitive Edge by Prioritizing Product Design

Over the past 3 months, we’ve received more than 150 RISE nominations recognizing incredible public safety Officers, Agencies and Community organizations that have made an impact in their communities. Thank you for sharing your stories and voting for those who have made a difference. In all, nearly 17,000 community votes were cast to determine our top 10 finalists in each category.

Today, we are excited to announce our 30 finalists! To all of our nominees, we are honored to recognize you and share your stories. Our panel of judges is currently reviewing the finalists in each category to select our final winners who will be announced at Axon Accelerate. 

One of our goals at Axon is to encourage and support customers and communities making a positive impact on others. If you have body-worn camera footage or stories of positive or heroic interactions between your staff and the public, we encourage you to send them to video@axon.com and they will be featured in Axon social media and video projects.

Now, meet our RISE Award Finalists!

Officer Joreeca Dinnall - Hendersonville, NC
Officer Hubbard - Pottsville, AR
Sgt. Mark Tappan - Alpharetta, GA
Officer Cole - Killeen, TX
Officer Marshall - Cypress, CA
Officer Rhonda Wood - Gwinnett County, GA
Deputy Hearn -  Bell County, TX
Officer Travis Johns - Lincoln County, SD
Deputy Eddicus and Officer Kostohryz - Ramsey County, MN
Sgt. Anthony Shea - Orange County, FL



Santa Fe College Police Department- Gainesville, FL
Fond du Lac Police Department - Fond du Lac, WI
Province of British Columbia Police/ British Columbia Women in Law Enforcement - British Columbia, Canada
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office - Chambersburg, PA
Tye Police Department - Tye, TX
Walla Walla Police Department - Walla Walla, WA
Vancouver Police - Vancouver, Canada
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office - Lincoln County, SD
Redlands Police Department - Redlands, CA
Huntington Beach Police Department - Huntington Beach, CA



Out On Patrol - British Columbia, Canada
Building Bridges Program - Niagara Falls, NY
Police Activity League (PAL) of Waterbury, Inc - Waterbury, CT
Georgia K9 Foundation - GA
African Friendship Society - Vancouver, Canada
Orange County Department on Aging; Handy Helper Program - Orange County, NC
Boots on the Ground - Ontario, Canada
Garland Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (GCPAAA) - Garland, TX
Delray Citizens for Delray Police - Delray, FL
God's Gift, Inc. - Broward County, FL


As a reminder, here are the categories and prizes:

The RISE Officer award honors three officers who have saved a life or shown exemplary performance in the field. Three Officer winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Axon Accelerate in Phoenix, Arizona 

The RISE Agency award recognizes a department for making great strides in building up their community. One Agency winner will receive a $7,500 grant for their police foundation, police nonprofit or community program 

The RISE Community award honors a community program working hand in hand with law enforcement to benefit their local community. One Community winner will receive a $7,500 grant for program funding 

Over the past 3 months, we’ve received more than 150 RISE nominations recognizing incredible public safety *Officers*, *Agencies* and *Community* organizations that have made an impact in their communities.

ARTICLE: The 2021 RISE Awards - Meet our Finalists

The 2021 RISE Awards - Meet our Finalists

Axon is excited to welcome Chris Chin, VP of Immersive Technologies, as the latest member to our leadership team. Chris comes to Axon from Vive Studios, the content division of HTC Vive, where he served as Vice President and General Manager. While at Vive Studios he led content strategy, production and business development and played a pivotal role in expanding the scope of HTC’s VR content to Enterprise Solutions, especially in training, education and healthcare.

As VP of Immersive Technologies, Chris’ expertise in gaming, Virtual Reality (VR) and product development will further Axon’s vision to create a unified, immersive experience across our VR and Training platforms. Axon’s Immersive Technologies team works to transform public safety training through interactive experiences, both online and in-person, to create better outcomes for everyone.

“I am excited to join this incredible team and use my experience in extended reality to further Axon’s mission to protect life,” says Chris Chin. “I look forward to leading and growing the world class talent we have here at Axon as we continue to advance and develop immersive technologies to improve officer training and outcomes of encounters between public safety and the communities they serve.”


Chris holds a BSE from Princeton University, MS from U.C. Berkeley and MBA from Wharton Business school. He currently advises and mentors VR/AR startups and is an avid Boston sports fan.

What excites you most about working at Axon?
I’m most excited about how XR (extended reality) can support Axon’s overall mission to ensure everyone gets home safe. Axon has done an amazing job supporting public safety through innovation and technology, and immersive technology has enormous potential to contribute to that evolution. I’ve always been passionate about XR’s ability to have a positive impact in the world and now, at Axon, I’m absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to realize that vision--especially when it comes to learning and training. Axon’s people, culture, leadership and mission simply align with my own values.

What does an immersive experience mean?
Imagine putting on a headset and finding yourself in a different place, time or even as a different person. When you move around, the virtual world reacts intelligently to your actions. You can be placed in a situation to get a different perspective and build empathy and understanding, or you can learn how to handle difficult situations that you’d be hard-pressed to re-create in real life. The effect of the experience seems so real, that even though you consciously know it’s not, your brain can’t help but believe it’s real. You react viscerally, physiologically, and emotionally to what you’re experiencing virtually.

Did you ever think playing video games would lead to developing new uses for immersive experiences that directly impact human lives?
Back in the day, I never envisioned video games having much more impact beyond a sense of challenge, excitement, achievement, satisfaction and social bonding. That’s why it’s so exciting to see how the foundation of gaming has evolved into immersive technology at Axon.The use cases of how that is impacting people's lives are incredible. We’ve come a long way from playing basketball on a screen like Larry Bird or Doctor J!

Was immersive even possible a few years ago? How fast is this arena evolving?
Immersive technologies such as VR have been around for decades. However, only in the past 5 years or so have advances in computer, optics, mobile and battery made it possible for the technology to be readily accessible. This has opened up possibilities for immersive applications ranging from gaming and healthcare, to education and training. The ecosystem has grown tremendously and many of the largest tech companies are investing heavily in immersive technology as the next computing platform. Axon, and other innovation-oriented enterprises, understands the potential for XR to fundamentally transform how we live, learn and work. This will take some time, of course, but may happen faster than you’d think.

How is Axon growing in this space?
Axon is blazing new trails by pioneering immersive training for public safety. Our Community Engagement VR training has been extremely well-received by customers and we’re constantly adding more modules to meet demand. We’re also expanding our content portfolio with the recently announced VR Simulator training, and that’s just the beginning. I’m super excited about the enormous opportunity in front of us, as we also look to ramp up XR solutions in some of our newer growth markets including Fire and EMS. The potential is absolutely limitless, and we’re looking for great people to join the team!

Why is now a great time to join Axon?
Our world-class team is growing rapidly and building XR solutions that will have a truly meaningful impact in our communities. Joining Axon now would be a tremendous opportunity to get in on the ground floor to develop innovative, cutting-edge, immersive solutions that improve public safety training, increase empathy and much, much more. If you’re passionate about XR and our Mission, join us! This is just the beginning of Axon’s journey in immersive technology and we are really aiming far ahead!

To learn how to join Chris’ team, visit: https://www.axon.com/careers/board?department=4038010003


HTC Vive is a trademark of HTC Corporation, Princeton University is a service mark of Trustees of Princeton University and UC Berkeley is a service mark of The Regents of the University of California.

Axon is excited to welcome Chris Chin, VP of Immersive Technologies, as the latest member to our leadership team. “I am excited to join this incredible team and use my experience in extended reality to further Axon’s mission to protect life,” says Chris Chin.

ARTICLE: Axon Welcomes Chris Chin as VP of Immersive Technologies

Axon Welcomes Chris Chin as VP of Immersive Technologies

Axon Air is now “Axon Air powered by DroneSense.” In June 2021, we announced a strategic partnership with DroneSense to integrate their piloting, program management and operations solution with our digital evidence management platform, Axon Evidence, and real-time operations platform, Axon Respond — giving agencies a comprehensive drone program solution.


The new Axon Air provides an end-to-end solution for public safety personnel by combining Axon Respond's secure live streaming and Axon Evidence's digital evidence management with DroneSense’s industry-leading flight control interface and comprehensive program management suite. Axon Air powered by DroneSense is now available for iOS and Android devices.

Wireless evidence upload from the Axon Air application to Axon Evidence ensures data integrity and availability throughout the chain of command, and allows for easy evidence management.

Secure live streaming with Axon Respond and DroneSense’s Operations Hub allows pilots, operators and administrators to collaborate quickly and effectively by sharing mission-critical information including video, flight telemetry and geospatial information. 

Comprehensive program management tools allow easy management of pilots, flight logs, data and hardware in an intuitive program management interface. Operate a safe, accountable and transparent drone program and easily provide COA reporting for the FAA with the touch of a button.

Drones are more than just a flashy tool. They provide increased visibility, reduce harm and minimize risk to public safety and communities. They offer the de-escalation opportunities and the distance and vantage point required to get jobs done safely.

To learn more about the capabilities of Axon Air, visit axon.com/air

DroneSense is a trademark of DroneSense, Inc.

Axon, Axon Air, Axon Evidence, and Axon Respond are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., Some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved. © 2021 Axon Enterprise, Inc.

Axon Air is now “Axon Air powered by DroneSense.” In June 2021, we announced a strategic partnership with DroneSense to integrate their piloting, program management and operations solution with our digital evidence management platform, Axon Evidence, and real-time operations platform, Axon Respond — giving agencies a comprehensive drone program solution.

ARTICLE:  Empowering public safety with Axon Air powered by DroneSense

Empowering public safety with Axon Air powered by DroneSense

Axon Board Member Caitlin Kalinowski on VR and the Future of Police Training

Tell us about your background?
I’ve been interested in how things are put together for as long as I can remember. And to understand the inner workings of machinery meant I would take things apart, sometimes much to my parents' chagrin. I credit my stepfather for helping me focus on engineering. He was an experimental physicist at Stanford, and I was privy to a lot of his stories about his professional life in and around the university campus (including riding his BMW bike in the area), so years before I enrolled at Stanford, I was already interested in matriculating there. I went on to buy a motorcycle, study STEM, and graduated with my BS in Engineering in 2007. I later worked for Apple, helping design the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and went on to leadership roles in the virtual reality domain.

Why did you decide to join Axon's Board of Directors?
Axon is utilizing VR training modules to teach police officers how to deescalate different situations. I decided to join Axon because they are at the crossroads of several different subjects that I care about: policing, community engagement, and using VR to make the world a better place. Axon needed expertise in VR technology and where things are headed, in addition to hardware experience, to help them with their future products. That made a really good mix for me – I could take my background in understanding and building hardware and my years of building VR to help Axon further the usefulness of VR training.

What does ‘tech for good’ mean to you?
Tech for good is applying technology, VR for example, in ways that have measurable, beneficial impacts on people and the world. My interest began with a curiosity in how things were put together, to know how they worked. As I started my career, that interest developed into a desire to use my knowledge and experience in ways that would benefit our lives. It’s not about advancing technology for its own sake. The real challenge – and my real goal – is to create the tools that will improve our lives, the environment, and the world as a whole.

What VR Modules did you find the most impactful or surprising and why?
You’ve heard some version of the phrase, “what you know you don't know, and what you don't know you don’t know?” Well, I realized that much of what Axon’s modules address is not about stopping criminals. First responders must learn to recognize and successfully deal with a range of mental and psychological conditions. Axon's current scenarios cover depression, schizophrenia, dementia, and so on. The goal of these modules isn’t about “catching the bad guy” but rather work to ensure the safety of the subject as well as the officer. Knowing that Axon is recognizing the wider realities that law enforcement faces really encourages me to work harder to design and refine VR tools that will help solve these societal issues.

Can you elaborate on ‘6 degrees of freedom’?
Basically, 6 degrees of freedom is the conversion of real-world movement into movement within a virtual space. Every possible head movement that can be made is on one of these 6 degrees. The VR of today accomplishes movement through interfaces such as headsets and hand controllers that track user movement in either 3- or 6- degrees. It’s a fundamental concept that must be understood in order to make interactions within these virtual spaces as naturalistic as possible. If you want to pursue a career in VR, this concept is important to understand.

How can working on VR at Axon advance my tech career?
Today, Axon is developing VR training for law enforcement, but the tech has so many directions it can go beyond this. Think of complex processes that must be remembered and involve physical movement – and you can apply that to many situations. For example, aircraft mechanics would be able to, in a step-by-step process, learn how to service difficult and complex parts of aircraft. Axon provides you the experience of applying real-world situations to VR, which is going to be happening more and more in the future. With the experience you gain at Axon, you can start to imagine the potential for VR technology in so many ways. Really, we’re just on the ground floor – engineers are going to push the boundaries of VR further and further.

What do Axon’s VR engineering roles look like?
Axon is applying VR in a very specific, yet immensely useful way that not only has positive implications for first responders but has a much greater impact on the communities they serve. Better trained officers mean we get more positive outcomes for more kinds of situations. In short, officers and civilians will be safer, and therefore it will help protect lives. Being an engineer at Axon means you get to be part of a team that’s pioneering these applications in a way that can make VR more than a device for entertainment or convenience – you're transforming VR into an essential, practical tool for training that will only expand into other professions.

Why are diversity, equity, inclusion important in the VR tech space?
More than important, it’s essential. The more diversity among people you have, the more diversity in ideas and approaches you get. And that is the best catalyst for innovation that leads to real advancements. Right now, women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce in the U.S. The percentage of graduates meeting the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in math and English is at a 15-year low – America is falling behind. If we’re going to give the next generation of STEM youth the best start, then we need to implement some real change – stop focusing on the gaps and start concentrating on diversity advocacy and change within our educational system. They’re going to be our greatest advantage within these fields, including VR.



To learn more about open positions on Axon’s VR team, visit: https://www.axon.com/careers/board?department=4038010003

Apple, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are trademarks of Apple, Inc. and BMW is a trademark of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft.


Caitlin Kalinowski
Axon Board of Directors
Caitlin Kalinowski is the Head of VR Hardware for the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Division at Facebook and is responsible for the design and engineering of Oculus’s award-winning VR devices. A recognized leader in virtual reality and product design, she serves on the board of Axon Enterprise and is a member of the strategic board for Lesbians Who Tech & Allies, the world’s largest LGBTQ technical organization. Prior to joining Facebook, from 2007 to 2013 Ms. Kalinowski was a Product Design Engineer for Apple, where she led technical teams for the Mac Pro and MacBook Air and was part of the original Unibody MacBook Pro team. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Kalinowski was a Product Design Engineer for OQO. She holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.


Axon Board Member Caitlin kalinowski speaks about VR and the future of police training

ARTICLE: Axon Board Member, Caitlin Kalinowski Talks Tech and VR

Axon Board Member, Caitlin Kalinowski Talks Tech and VR

Empathy is a critical tool for conflict resolution, and thus public safety. In recent years, VR has established itself as a powerful tool for empathy development. Axon is committed to creating world-class Virtual Reality (VR) training for our law enforcement partners. Training that enhances empathy and understanding to better prepare officers for successful community engagement and outcomes.

Virtual reality simulations leave emotional imprints on users. VR allows a person to literally stand in someone else’s shoes — to see what they see, hear what they hear, and feel what they feel. The inner dialogue, the anxiety, the despair. Experiencing a new perspective results in long-lasting learning for first responders and officers who encounter citizens with a wide variety of challenges on a daily basis. VR allows officers to gain experience responding to situations they may not be fully equipped to handle. Until now.

Axon’s VR training modules provide real-world scenarios that elicit real-world reactions, like increased blood pressure and time-sensitive decision making. Through this training, officers gain confidence in responding to calls for service with new insight, awareness and empathy.

Officers Deserve Better Training on Commonly Encountered Characteristics
When it comes to police training, the traditional “shoot or don’t-shoot” simulations miss the mark. The percentage of civilian interactions resulting in shots fired by officers is exceptionally low, so the "shoot or don't-shoot" approach doesn't equip officers with the day-to-day tools required for the vast majority of community encounters. Axon seeks to create an efficient, modern approach to everyday policing — comprehensive VR offerings to train for everything else.

Consider these diverse communities we expect our officers to serve:

Suicide & Depression. Depression affects 25% of adults in U.S. and over 130 die by suicide each day. 

Anxiety. Affects 18% of adults and, while treatable, only 37% receive treatment.

Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Millions afflicted nationwide.

Autism. Wide spectrum and rapid increase in prevalence, as 1 in 54 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

That’s a tall order, and it’s why four of our initial VR modules address empathetic de-escalation techniques in situations relating to Suicide, Autism, Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. Is the person really disobeying commands or is he unable to hear, understand or respond in typical fashion? Can stimuli be reduced and the subject engaged? The ability to recognize signs and symptoms and employ appropriate communication strategies for the situation at hand can help everybody get home safely. But such skills require training we can’t expect officers to be effective without.

Axon’s VR Library Is Rapidly Expanding
We’ve already made great strides in enhancing awareness through the release of powerful VR empathy training modules, but much more is needed to create positive change in law enforcement for better community relations and outcomes. To that end, Axon continues to expand our VR offerings. Coming soon:

Each training module is vetted by subject matter experts and agency and community partners. This includes clinicians, crisis intervention specialists, and mental health counselors to ensure each virtual interaction depicts real-life circumstances, recommends best practices, and provides accurate resources.

Our ever-changing world is complex with crises occurring every day in our communities. That’s why Axon’s mission to obsolete the bullet and develop technologies with profound societal impact is so important. We are doing all we can to prepare our nation's first responders and law enforcement professionals for successful community engagement through relevant and impactful VR training topics for all experience levels. Empathy is at the heart of this training, as it should be, with an emphasis on de-escalation techniques.


Because everyone deserves to get home safe.

If you’d like to join us in our mission, explore our open careers. Our VR team (along with all of Axon) is growing!

About the Author: Pam Petersen joined Axon’s in-house legal team in May 2012—the same month sheriff’s deputies used a TASER energy weapon to save her daughter’s life. Pam is passionate about Axon’s mission to Protect Life and our less-lethal products that give law enforcement more options to do just that. Her unique combination of personal and professional experience, as a parent of a child with mental illness and former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for Arizona, provides critical insight into the importance of empathy in policing and mental health interventions.

Empathy is a critical tool for conflict resolution, and thus public safety. In recent years, VR has established itself as a powerful tool for empathy development. Axon is committed to creating world-class Virtual Reality (VR) training for our law enforcement partners.

ARTICLE: The Future of Training includes VR Empathy

The Future of Training includes VR Empathy

Fleet 3 isn’t the only thing hitting the road this summer! From now through year-end, Axon is taking off in our brand-new Axon Voyager trailers to meet public safety agencies on their home turf for in-person product demo days with Skydio and Verizon.

The Axon Roadshow kicked off on June 17 with a stop at LAPD. Over the course of the next six months, three custom Axon Voyager trailers will visit all 48 contiguous United States to provide demos of some of our latest and greatest tech.

Each Axon Voyager trailer comes with a Cradlepoint and Verizon-powered control room for software demos, two VR training bays that allow officers to try Axon’s latest community engagement training modules, and a TASER 7 firing range, where officers can receive hands-on practice with Axon’s latest generation of TASER energy weapon, guided by a TASER Master Instructor.


Inside of Axon Voyager, which includes VR, TASER 7, and software training bays

Axon Roadshow stops are open to all sworn public safety officers and leaders, and are a perfect opportunity to check out the latest Axon technology.

“We are excited for the chance to show agencies the technology we’re working on and hear directly from our customers how we can better serve them and their communities,” says Josh Isner, Axon’s CRO. “We believe that to truly serve our customers and communities - we need to get to know them, their needs and the challenges they face. The Axon Roadshow is the perfect opportunity to show our customers that we are here for them. We are listening and we want their feedback.”

The entrance to one of the Axon Voyager mobile training bays

Axon Roadshow stops will also feature lunch and mount swaps for officers who wish to exchange their current body-worn camera mount for a new mount option at no cost.

Skydio, the industry-leader in autonomous drone technology, will be joining the Axon Roadshow as a title sponsor. Skydio will be onsite at roadshow events providing hands-on demos of products like the Skydio 2, X2 and the recently-launched 3D Scan. Axon is thrilled to be partnering with Skydio on this project, and looks forward to taking to the skies while on the road!


The Skydio booth at an Axon Roadshow event.

Some customers watch a flight demo from a Skydio employee

For more information about roadshow stops and how to attend, contact roadshow@axon.com.

Cradlepoint is a trademark of Cradlepoint, Inc., Skydio, Skydio 2, Skydio 3D Scan, and Skydio X2 are trademarks of Skydio, Inc. and Verizon is a trademark of Verizon Trademark Services, LLC.

Axon, the Delta Logo, Fleet, TASER and TASER 7 are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved. © 2021 Axon Enterprise, Inc.

Fleet 3 isn’t the only thing hitting the road this summer! From now through year-end, Axon is taking off in our brand-new Axon Voyager trailers to meet public safety agencies on their home turf for in-person product demo days with Skydio and Verizon.

ARTICLE: Roadshow 2021

Axon hits the road this summer

Jay Reitz is the Senior Vice President of Software Engineering for Axon. He has extensive knowledge of emerging technologies and the unique ability to optimize performance and capabilities of products related to systems, tools and infrastructure. Jay studied computer science at Stanford University.

How has public safety technology shifted since you started in your role at Axon?

When I first joined Axon in early 2014, body-worn cameras weren't yet widespread, and the consensus was that the devices wouldn't be widely accepted or adopted by law enforcement. Turns out, the perception that they wouldn't be widely accepted was wrong. A groundbreaking scientific study done at Cambridge University showed when body cameras are present, use of force incidents drop by 59% and reports against officers drop by 87%. I was excited about these opportunities from a business perspective, but more excited about how they could support Axon's mission to protect life.

In 2014, the Ferguson, Missouri tragedy started critical conversations about more transparency into critical incidents. In the aftermath of this event, Michael Brown's mother released a statement pleading for peace and urging body-worn camera adoption, which further positioned body cameras as a way to help increase transparency. It brought the importance of what Axon does into focus and our mission onto center stage.


What's the most exciting industry trend you've seen this year?

Ask anyone in tech and they’ll give you the canned answer — AI, connected devices, AR, VR. The cool stuff. What’s underneath that answer is what’s actually interesting. Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) and connectivity with deep user empathy can reveal new applications and insights we haven’t even thought of yet; using an engineer’s ability to unwind a problem and seek out new uses for technology and doing all of that with a geographically distributed, wildly committed team with diverse backgrounds. That’s the best trend—putting our talent to work in new ways—to the benefit of humanity. Tell me who else can offer that as part of a job description?

In the Axon ecosystem of products, every offering works together as a connected network, which requires innovative technologies driven by user-focused design. We are increasing customer performance and training and capturing data that impacts people’s lives. This isn’t shopping, ride-sharing, or automated food service. This is tech that reveals a truth about a massively complex set of variables. Customers didn't have this capability before Axon made it a reality.


What sets the Axon engineering team apart from others?

At Axon, protecting life is our focus. Clearly, that differentiates us from other companies. We hire talent with diverse backgrounds who strive toward that mission because it means something to them, and often, their families.

Our product is so focused on people, that the time we spend with customers is outsized compared with most product and software development. Our software engineers work directly with customers, building relationships to understand the needs and challenges that we're committed to solving. Because there is so much overlap between our products and software, our team also has the opportunity for integrated thinking and dynamic design. By making these more extensive connections, engineers can take a more three-dimensional perspective of their work and offer solutions in a way that segmented experience cannot provide.

Since I have been at Axon, the engineering team has grown 40% every year, and we have some of the best possible talent. We look for engineers with people and leadership skills, a sense of creativity, and those who aren't afraid to share big and bold ideas.As we grow, we scale and mature accordingly, but we never let go of the mission as our primary focus. Everything else we do keeps Axon's mission in mind.


How has the pandemic changed Axon's engineering team?

We are constantly thinking about the best work environment for our team and how it may change post-pandemic. We have learned that remote options have allowed for a larger talent pool. With a high demand for engineers, creating a hybrid work environment with a diverse and inclusive team offers even more appeal for those looking for a well-rounded experience. The pandemic brought many challenges, but it also provided some keen insight into how remote or hybrid work environments can increase productivity, especially for engineers.


What are you excited about for the future?

I am excited about that kind of influence--we are taking unique approaches to software development and making a difference in the meantime.


With an audacious goal of making the bullet obsolete, we are continuing to positively impact the world through the products and technology that we develop. You can expect the kind of work we do to end up in history books as a game-changer in law enforcement practices.

To learn more about open roles on Axon’s Engineering team, visit: https://www.axon.com/careers/board?department=4017459003 

Jay Reitz is the Senior Vice President of Software Engineering for Axon. He has extensive knowledge of emerging technologies and the unique ability to optimize performance and capabilities of products related to systems, tools and infrastructure.

ARTICLE: Engineering Team Delivers Societal Impact

Axon’s Engineering Team Delivers Outsized Societal Impact

How Axon joined forces to develop the next generation in-car camera system

Over the past 3 years, Axon has been working tirelessly to deliver a breakthrough in-car camera solution for public safety: Axon Fleet 3. As of this week, we are proud to announce that after a series of incredibly successful beta trials, Fleet 3 is now shipping to customers in the US and Canada.

Fleet 3 sets a new bar for in-car video performance with advanced in-car video system features, an AI-powered, fully connected ALPR (Automatic License Plate Reader) service, and real-time situational awareness technology through Axon Respond for Devices. How we got there is an incredible story on its own. But it’s our strategic partnerships, with some of the best providers in the industry, that helped take this solution to the next level.


Axon is excited to expand on our integration partnership with Flock Safety by enabling two-way, seamless data sharing between Flock Safety and Axon ALPR systems, both fixed and mobile, for a disruptively affordable cost. Last year, Flock Safety and Axon announced their ability to push footage from Flock Safety fixed ALPR cameras to Axon’s digital evidence management system, Axon Evidence. With this new integration, footage from Axon Fleet 3 mobile ALPR cameras will also appear alongside Flock Safety footage in the Flock Lookup Experience, allowing users to search across a smart network of multiple ALPR providers within one portal. Flock Safety Lookup allows law enforcement users to see where a known license plate has travelled during a specific timeframe, such as when a crime is known to have occurred. This two-way integration consolidates search for ALPR data into one system to streamline investigators’ workflows, solve a case faster, and ensure that law enforcement has the comprehensive, objective evidence they need all in one place.

“Our partnership with Axon is based on the principles we hold in common: that law enforcement technology can be equal parts effective, affordable, and above all, ethically-designed. The furtherance of our integration ensures our mutual law enforcement customers have a single destination to quickly and accurately obtain leads and clear cases regardless if the camera is fixed on a pole or integrated into a vehicle,” says Garrett Langley, Founder & CEO of Flock Safety.

Cradlepoint’s industry-leading wireless network solutions provide in-vehicle and on-scene connectivity for today’s modern police force. Part of Axon’s Fleet 3 police vehicle solution, the Cradlepoint IBR900 provides secure and reliable cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity that is engineered to work seamlessly with their connected solutions. Law enforcement agencies using Axon Fleet 3 will benefit from Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service which provides cloud-based management, enterprise-grade networking, CJIS-compliant security and industry-leading LTE cellular technology with certified nationwide public safety network support. Cradlepoint offers upgrade paths to the dual-modem IBR1700 or to 5G with the R1900, both of which can be used with Fleet 3.

“Axon’s integration of Cradlepoint’s IBR900 solution within its Fleet 3 offering is a testament to the value our wireless technology plays within today’s law enforcement. Cradlepoint is fully committed to providing secure and reliable LTE and 5G solutions that help keep first responders and public safety personnel safer and more productive. Together with Axon, we are pushing the boundaries of connected technologies and applications that benefit law enforcement agencies and the communities and citizens they serve,” says Eric Purcell, SVP of Partners and Alliances at Cradlepoint.

A leading provider of advanced wireless connectivity solutions and technologies used to enable high-performance networking across a broad range of devices and markets, Airgain antennas are used to reliably connect Fleet 3 in-car and on-officer public safety applications in real-time, over dedicated wireless networks. Airgain delivers industry-leading connectivity solutions for first responders and public sector customers across North America.

“Axon continues to lead the way with next generation in-car video systems that rely on seamless wireless connections to deliver maximum impact. We are proud that Axon selected Airgain as its preferred connectivity partner for Fleet 3, which is a powerful tool that integrates audio, video, and streaming for improving situational awareness. We are especially pleased to continue our relationship with Axon and believe this collaboration will benefit public safety customers by enhancing officer safety,” comments Bill Swafford, Vice President of Sales, North America at Airgain.


A crucial part of building a quality solution is using reliable components suitable for the harsh environment of law enforcement vehicles. Axon Fleet 3 cameras and Hub are powered with Qualcomm Technologies’ advanced processors. These highly integrated systems-on-chips(SOC) include advanced imaging and AI edge processing in the cameras and wireless connectivity and high-speed routing in the Hub. Each platform has software libraries to speed system integration and provide robust security.

To learn more about the capabilities and partnerships for the Fleet 3 in-car camera solution visit https://www.axon.com/products/axon-fleet-3



Over the past 3 years, Axon has been working tirelessly to deliver a breakthrough in-car camera solution for public safety: Axon Fleet 3.

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