Axon Enterprise#Body-worn cameras

In 1969, NASA researcher Jack Cover began to develop a non-lethal electric weapon to help police officers control suspects, as an alternative to firearms.{{cite news |first=Jerry |last=Langton |title=The dark lure of 'pain compliance' |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/12/01/the_dark_lure_of_pain_compliance.html |work=Toronto Star |date=December 1, 2007 |access-date=December 1, 2007}} By 1974, Cover had completed the device, which he named the "Tom Swift Electric Rifle" (TSER), referencing the 1911 novel Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle; to make it easier to pronounce as a word, Cover later added an "A" to the acronym to form "TASER".{{cite book |last=Purpura |first=Philip P. |title=Criminal justice : an introduction |year=1996 |publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann |location=Boston |isbn=978-0-7506-9630-2 |page=187 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P8-oSPHlHXoC}} The Taser Public Defender used gunpowder as its propellant, which led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to classify it as a firearm in 1976,{{cite news |first=Silja J. A. |last=Talvi |title=Stunning Revelations |url=http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2894/ |work=In These Times |date=November 13, 2006 |access-date=December 17, 2006 |archive-date=December 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205193011/http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2894/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Jurisdiction over the Taser Public Defender (#236) |publisher=U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |date=March 22, 1976 |url=http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/advisory/236.pdf |access-date=July 23, 2008 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910070837/http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/advisory/236.pdf |archive-date=September 10, 2008 }} a decision that limited sales.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-13-me-jack-cover13-story.html|title=Jack Cover dies at 88; scientist invented the Taser stun gun|last=Woo|first=Elaine|date=February 13, 2009|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-06-24}} In 1980, the Los Angeles Police Department conducted a successful field test of an improved version (having reconsidered its earlier rejections of the technology after the shooting of Eula Love). Still, the device remained commercially unsuccessful and Cover's company, Taser Systems Inc., collapsed.

In 1993, Rick and Tom Smith (CEO Set Jet) formed AIR TASER, Inc. to, with Cover, design a version of the device that would use compressed nitrogen instead of gunpowder as a propellant.{{cite news|title=Jack Cover, 88, Physicist Who Invented the Taser Stun Gun, Dies|work=The New York Times |date=February 16, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/us/16cover.html|access-date=April 8, 2017|url-access=subscription |last1=Weber |first1=Bruce }}{{cite web|title=Police History: How a NASA scientist invented the TASER|url=https://www.policeone.com/police-products/less-lethal/TASER/articles/164475006-Police-History-How-a-NASA-scientist-invented-the-TASER/|website=PoliceOne|access-date=April 8, 2017}} During development, the company faced competition from another vendor, Tasertron, whose product had become associated with its alleged ineffectiveness during the police confrontation of Rodney King.

After nearly going bankrupt marketing other products such as an electroshock-based anti-theft system for automobiles known as "Auto Taser", the company, later renamed TASER International, introduced its TASER M26 weapon in 1999.{{cite news|title=One Company Supplies Tasers to Virtually Every Police Department in the U.S.|url=http://www.citylab.com/crime/2015/12/one-company-supplies-tasers-to-virtually-every-police-department-in-the-us/420369/|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=December 14, 2015 |publisher=The Atlantic|access-date=April 8, 2017}} With a $6.8 million deficit in 2001, TASER International took steps to improve sales by offering to pay police officers to train others on how to use their products; this marketing technique helped enhance the company's market share, reaching $24.5 million in net sales by 2003, and nearly $68 million in 2004. In May 2001, it filed for an initial public offering and began trading on NASDAQ under the stock symbol TASR.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

The company also took significant action against competitors, acquiring the aforementioned Tasertron, and aggressively defending its patents. Patent lawsuits by TASER International led to the shutdown of Stinger Systems and its successor company, Karbon Arms; Robert Gruder founded both companies. Despite the controversies that have centered around the products (including deaths attributed to taser usage), the company maintained its dominant market position.{{cite web|title=Why Taser's only rival gave up electroshock for lemonade|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/31/5363546/how-taser-defeated-its-last-electroshock-rival|website=The Verge|date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=April 8, 2017}}

In 2005, TASER International began to offer an accessory for its taser products, TASER Cam, which added a grip-mounted camera that activated automatically when the safety was disengaged. By October 2010, at least 45,000 TASER Cams had been sold.{{cite web|title=Police buying Taser Cams for stun gun accountability|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-10-28-tasercams28_ST_N.htm|website=USA Today|access-date=April 8, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Conn. ACLU Wants Police To Use Taser Cameras|url=http://wshu.org/post/conn-aclu-wants-police-use-taser-cameras|website=WSHU|date=August 11, 2015 |access-date=April 8, 2017}}

In 2008, the company unveiled its first body-worn camera, the Axon Pro. It was designed to be head-mounted, and upload footage for online storage on a web-based service known as Evidence.com. TASER's CEO Rick Smith explained that the products were designed to "help provide revolutionary digital evidence collection, storage and retrieval for law enforcement". The company piloted Axon Pro in various small cities and towns. In 2009, after prosecutor Daniel Shue exonerated Fort Smith police officer Brandon Davis based on footage from an Axon Pro camera, both Davis and Shue began to provide testimonials for the product in its marketing.{{cite web|title=How Police Body Cameras Were Designed to Get Cops Off the Hook|url=https://gizmodo.com/how-police-body-cameras-were-designed-to-get-cops-off-t-1691693677|website=Gizmodo|date=March 16, 2015 |access-date=April 8, 2017}}

Especially in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting, the company's body-worn camera business saw significant growth. Smith argued that the company was "not just about weapons, but about providing transparency and solving related data problems."{{cite news|title=Taser International Dominates the Police Body Camera Market| work=The New York Times | date=July 12, 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/business/taser-international-dominates-the-police-body-camera-market.html?_r=0|access-date=April 8, 2017|url-access=subscription | last1=Gelles | first1=David }} In April 2013, the Rialto Police Department released the results of a 12-month study on the impact of on-officer video using Axon Flex cameras. The study found an 88% drop in complaints filed against officers and nearly a 60% reduction in officer use-of-force incidents.{{cite news|last1=Stross|first1=Randall|title=Wearing a Badge, and a Video Camera|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/business/wearable-video-cameras-for-police-officers.html?_r=2&|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 6, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2015|url-access=subscription}}

TASER opened an office in Seattle in 2013,{{Cite web|title = Taser opening Seattle software development office - Phoenix Business Journal|url = http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2013/02/11/taser-opening-seattle-software.html|website = Phoenix Business Journal|access-date = February 14, 2016}} and a foreign office in Amsterdam, Netherlands in May 2014.{{Cite web|title = Press Releases - TASER International Inc.|url = http://investor.taser.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=843335|website = investor.taser.com|access-date = February 14, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150103163004/http://investor.taser.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=843335|archive-date = January 3, 2015|url-status = dead|df = mdy-all}} In June 2015, the company announced the formation of a new Seattle-based division known as Axon, which would encompass the company's technology businesses, including body-worn cameras, digital evidence management, and analytics. Rick Smith explained that the branch was inspired by Microsoft's use of the Xbox brand to branch into entertainment businesses, stating that "Axon was the name that we used for selling cameras historically, but we realized that brand had the room to grow and encompass all of our connected technologies." The Taser brand would still be used for the company's weapons products.{{Cite news|url=https://www.policeone.com/police-products/body-cameras/articles/8573534-TASER-International-to-split-brands-announces-Axon-division/|title=TASER International to split brands, announces Axon division|newspaper=PoliceOne|access-date=November 15, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.geekwire.com/2015/photos-inside-spaceship-themed-seattle-office-of-police-body-camera-maker-axon/|title=Photos: Inside the spaceship-themed Seattle office of police body camera-maker Axon|website=GeekWire|access-date=July 28, 2016}}

On April 5, 2017, TASER announced that it had rebranded as Axon to reflect its expanded business. The company also announced an intent to offer free one-year trials of its body-worn camera products and Evidence.com services to U.S. law enforcement agencies. While the Taser product line still contributes to a significant portion of its revenue, the company's technologies business had seen major gains.{{cite web|title=Taser is being renamed and offering US police a free trial of body cameras|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/5/15195304/taser-renamed-axon-body-camera-free-trials-offer|website=The Verge|date=April 5, 2017 |publisher=Vox Media|access-date=April 5, 2017}} As of 2017, they comprised a quarter of the company's business, while Axon cameras had a market share of 85% among police departments in the United States' major cities.{{cite news |last1=Reilly |first1=Ryan J. |last2=Wing |first2=Nick |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/taser-axon-body-cameras_us_58e3d79ce4b0f4a923b29722 |title=The Company Formerly Known As Taser Goes All In On Police Body Cameras |work=The Huffington Post |publisher=AOL |date=April 5, 2017 |access-date=April 6, 2017 }} The rebranding was also intended to help distance the company from the negative stigma surrounding the Taser brand, with Smith acknowledging that they were "a bit of a distraction" when recruiting employees for its technology business.

In May 2018, Axon acquired competitor VieVu for $4.6 million in cash and $2.5 million in common stock.{{cite web |last1=Ringle |first1=Hayley |title=Axon reports record sales, software and sensors bookings and how much it paid for VieVu |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/05/08/axon-reports-record-sales-software-and-sensors.html |website=bizjournals.com |publisher=Phoenix Business Journal |access-date=9 November 2018 |quote=Axon also revealed how much it paid to acquire Seattle-based VieVu, which provides body-worn cameras and video technology to the police, from Safariland Group. Axon bought VieVu May 4, ending dueling lawsuits within Maricopa County Superior Court. Axon paid $4.6 million in cash and $2.5 million in common stock issued to Safariland. The deal also includes consideration of up to 141,000 shares of common stock contingent that Axon achieves certain milestones over the next two years. There is also a minimum holster purchase requirement from Safariland.}}

In 2022, an Ontario police officer was shot and killed with an Axon body-worn camera recording the death. This was the first case of a Canadian police officer being fatally shot while wearing a body camera.{{Cite web|url=https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/slain-officer-was-wearing-body-camera-that-could-provide-key-evidence-experts|title=Slain officer's body camera could provide key evidence: Experts | London Free Press}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YatUj2Ka4PU|title=Ontario Provincial Police officer fatally shot in Ohsweken|via=www.youtube.com}}

{{Main|Taser}}

Taser's original body-worn camera, the Axon Pro, was introduced in 2009. The camera consists of three components, a head-mounted camera, a controller, and a monitor to review video recordings.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/axon-taser-video-camera-hd-officer-pov-cam_n_945597.html|title=Taser Axon, An On-Officer Head Camera, Wants To Make Everyone A Little More Liable|website=Huffington Post|date=September 7, 2011 |access-date=July 28, 2016}}

The second generation of Axon body-worn cameras were simpler in form and function than the Axon Pro, removing the bulky monitor in favor of mobile phone integration. Many of the features introduced in these cameras,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/business/wearable-video-cameras-for-police-officers.html|title=Wearable Video Cameras, for Police Officers|last=Stross|first=Randall|date=April 6, 2013|access-date=October 11, 2016|issn=0362-4331|newspaper=The New York Times}} such as the pre-event buffer, a method of capturing video from before the record button was pressed, have become common requirements in body-worn camera requests for proposal. The Axon Flex and Body only record standard definition video.

• Axon Flex: Released in 2012, a point-of-view camera. The Flex camera system consists of a camera attached to an external battery pack / controller. In contrast to the Axon Pro, the Axon Flex lacks a screen for video playback. Instead, Axon offers a mobile application (Axon View) that connects to the camera using Bluetooth. Like the previous model, Axon Flex videos are stored in Evidence.com, Axon's cloud-hosted evidence management system. The camera features multiple mounting options, including a mount for Oakley, Inc.'s Flak Jacket eyewear, in addition to collar, epaulette, ball cap, and helmet mounts.{{cite web|url=http://investor.taser.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=723472|title=TASER Introduces Breakthrough AXON Flex Video System|website=TASER Investor Relations|access-date=July 28, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Axon Body: Released in 2013, a single unit camera similar in function to the Axon Flex. It features a wider field of view than the Flex, and also has simpler mounting options than the two-piece Flex. Although simpler, the body mount prevents the camera from tracking where an officer is looking.

• Axon Body 2: Announced in 2015, features an Ambarella system-on-chip (SoC) video processor, 1080p (FHD) video, wireless activation, and other improvements over the original Body.[https://www.axon.com/products/body-2 Official Taser Website], Axon Body 2 for law enforcement[https://buy.taser.com/products/axon-body-2 Official Taser Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507153424/https://buy.taser.com/products/axon-body-2 |date=May 7, 2018 }}, Axon Body 2 for civilians
• Axon Flex 2: Announced in 2016, features a point-of-view camera attached to an external battery pack, similar to its predecessor.{{Cite news |title=Axon Flex 2 HD Camera Brings Breakthrough Flexibility & Durability to Point-of-View Cams |url=http://www.cbs8.com/story/33362062/axon-flex-2-hd-camera-brings-breakthrough-flexibility-durability-to-point-of-view-cams |access-date=October 11, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=October 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Features high-definition video, improved 120° field of view, and other improvements over the original model.[https://www.axon.com/products/flex-2 Official Taser Website], Axon Flex 2 for law enforcement
• Axon Body 3: Announced in 2019, features enhanced low-light performance, motion blur correction, a display screen, and AES 128 bit encryption. Also features an LTE connection that enables real-time features like live streaming, as well as wireless activation.[https://www.axon.com/products/body-3 Official Taser Website], Axon Body 3 for law enforcement
• Axon Body 4: Announced in 2023, features a 1440p (QHD) camera, improved 160° field of view, added solid-state video storage, AES 256 bit encryption and improved battery life. An optional plug and play camera module similar to the Flex 2 can be installed, recording alongside the main camera.{{Cite web |title=Axon Body 4 Presskit |url=https://www.axon.com/press/axon-body-4/press-materials |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=www.axon.com}}

In addition to body-worn cameras, Axon also offers interview room and in-car video systems, known as Axon Interview and Axon Fleet respectively. These systems, like the body-worn cameras, integrate with the Evidence.com service.{{Cite news|url=https://www.policeone.com/iacp-2015/articles/26951006-TASER-announces-new-solution-for-managing-interview-room-videos-in-the-cloud/|title=TASER announces new solution for managing interview room videos in the cloud|access-date=October 11, 2016|newspaper=PoliceOne}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.policeone.com/iacp-2015/articles/30076006-TASERs-Axon-Fleet-brings-affordable-in-car-video-solution-to-police/|title=TASER's Axon Fleet brings affordable in-car video solution to police|last=Wyllie|first=Doug|access-date=October 12, 2016|newspaper=PoliceOne}}

Evidence.com is a cloud-based digital evidence management system that allows law enforcement agencies to manage, review, and share digital evidence, particularly video evidence captured with Axon-branded cameras. It includes an automated redaction tool, audit trails for chain of custody purposes, and integrated evidence sharing features.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-12/will-a-camera-on-every-cop-make-everyone-safer-taser-thinks-so|title=Taser Thinks a Camera on Every Cop Makes Everyone Safer|last=Weise|first=Karen|date=July 12, 2016|access-date=October 12, 2016|work=Bloomberg.com}} A free application is offered specifically for prosecutors to receive and manage digital evidence.

Evidence Sync is a desktop application that allows users to review and upload evidence from hardware devices and local files. It is also used to upload logs from Taser weapons to Evidence.com. It can also be used in offline mode to directly access files.

Two mobile apps integrate with the Axon cameras and Evidence.com. Axon View can be paired with an Axon body-worn camera to review, tag, and stream videos from the camera.{{Cite news|url=http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/smile-you-re-on-camera/article_5901e2f8-7895-5301-be3e-41215865981a.html|title=Smile, you're on camera|work=The Garden Island|access-date=April 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101122211/http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/smile-you-re-on-camera/article_5901e2f8-7895-5301-be3e-41215865981a.html|archive-date=January 1, 2016|url-status = dead|df=mdy-all}} The app can give an officer instant replay and on the spot evidence. This evidence can be crucial for officers and prosecutors. A new feature they added was GPS tagging. Officers can automatically map video evidence with real-time tagging of metadata.{{Cite web|url=https://www.axon.com/products/view|title=Axon View|website=www.axon.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-21}} Axon Capture is an app that can be used to capture audio, photo, and video evidence and upload it to Evidence.com using an officer's mobile phone.{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/02/21/taser-flex-camera-bart/|title=Taser unveils new wearable police cameras, starting with BART|website=VentureBeat|date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=October 12, 2016}}

Axon Signal is a range of products that are designed to automatically trigger recordings on Axon cameras in response to certain events, such as Signal Vehicle (which can trigger after the opening of doors or activation of sirens), Signal Performance Power Magazine (a successor to the TASER Cam accessory that triggers recordings when an Taser is armed), and Signal Sidearm (a sensor for handgun holsters which triggers recording when the gun is removed).{{cite web|title=New holster forces all nearby body cams to start recording when gun is pulled|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/02/axon-signal-sidearm-automatic-body-cam/|website=Ars Technica|date=February 28, 2017 |publisher=Conde Nast|access-date=April 8, 2017}}

Axon Citizen is a cloud-based software solution that allows non-law enforcement personnel to share and upload information, including photos and video, directly to a law enforcement agency.{{Cite press release|last=Axon|title=Announcing Axon Citizen, A New Public Evidence Submission Portal For U.S. Law Enforcement|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/announcing-axon-citizen-a-new-public-evidence-submission-portal-for-us-law-enforcement-300539580.html|access-date=2022-02-13|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Hoium|first=Travis|date=2022-01-25|title=Axon's Next Growth Product Is Here|url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/01/25/axon-takes-big-step-into-self-defense/|access-date=2022-02-13|website=The Motley Fool|language=en}} Agencies are able to send links to any user, allowing them to upload evidence remotely.{{Cite web|title=Axon responds to COVID-19 emergency by offering Axon Citizen to public safety agencies worldwide|url=https://www.ems1.com/ems-products/cameras-video/press-releases/axon-responds-to-covid-19-emergency-by-offering-axon-citizen-to-public-safety-agencies-worldwide-zcFuFtrMkxl9Ohav/|access-date=2022-02-13|website=EMS1|language=en}} This functionality is supported by Axon's Evidence.com evidence management system. The product is described as incident-based system that seeks to "structure" and "streamline" the collection of crowd-sourced evidence.{{Cite web|title=Will Axon Citizen take the chaos out of crowdsourcing?|url=https://www.police1.com/iacp-2017/articles/will-axon-citizen-take-the-chaos-out-of-crowdsourcing-eX1fsfE6imnqVmbE/|access-date=2022-02-13|website=Police1|language=en}}

{{main|Taser safety issues}}

The company has noted that it has lost two product liability lawsuits:

{{Blockquote|This lawsuit represents the fifty-ninth (59th) wrongful death or injury lawsuit that has been dismissed or judgment entered in favor of TASER International. This number includes a small number of police officer training injury lawsuits that were settled and dismissed in cases where the settlement economics to TASER International were significantly less than the cost of litigation. One of these cases is that on Feb. 15, 2006, one officer Officer accidentally discharged TASER device on his daughter.{{cite web|url=http://www.ecdlaw.info/outlines/127%20TASER%20Brave%20Legal%20Outl%2003-17-07.pdf|title=ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE LEGAL OUTLINE|access-date=July 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909012751/http://ecdlaw.info/outlines/127%20TASER%20Brave%20Legal%20Outl%2003-17-07.pdf|archive-date=September 9, 2013|url-status = dead|df=mdy-all}} TASER International has lost two product liability lawsuits.[http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=129937&p=NewsArticle&id=1060250 TASER Granted Summary Judgment Dismissing Product Liability Lawsuit], TASER International, Inc. press release, October 9, 2007.}}

On June 6, 2008, the company lost its first product-liability suit.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&refer=us&sid=aYJitFRQLpZk|title=Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million|website=Bloomberg News |access-date=May 11, 2015}} The damages were reduced in the Court of Appeals in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://investor.taser.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=129937&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1566093&highlight=|title=Appeals Court Significantly Reduces Award in Heston Lawsuit Against TASER}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

TASER lost its second product liability suit.http://investor.taser.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=129937&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1677761&highlight={{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Court Grants TASER's Motion to Reduce Turner Jury Verdict From $10M to $4.3M

In 2007, Polish immigrant Robert Dziekański died in custody at the Vancouver International Airport after Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers used a Taser on him multiple times. A provincial inquiry found the use to be unjustified, and in 2013, the British Columbia Coroners Service ruled the death to be a homicide—citing a heart attack caused by the repeated jolts as cause of death. The incident provoked inquiries into law enforcement taser use in Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada/six-years-later-coroner-rules-robert-dziekanskis-death-at-hands-of-mounties-at-vancouver-airport-was-a-homicide|title=Six years later, Coroner rules Robert Dziekanski's death at hands of Mounties at Vancouver airport was a homicide|work=Ottawa Citizen|first=Jessica |last=Barrett |date=2013-04-08 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/commons-committee-probes-taser-use-by-police-1.273839|title=Commons committee probes Taser use by police|website= CTV News|date=January 30, 2008 |access-date=2019-05-11}}

In 2008, CBC News found that TASER X26 models manufactured before 2005 had a faulty fail-safe system.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/amnesty-urges-moratorium-on-taser-use-after-cbc-radio-canada-probe-1.743840|title=Amnesty urges moratorium on Taser use after CBC/Radio-Canada probe|date=December 5, 2008|access-date=May 11, 2015}}

In 2015, it was discovered that several TASER International employees had review bombed listings on Amazon and iTunes Store for Killing Them Safely, a documentary film by Nick Berardini which documented and investigated major incidents that resulted from taser usage.{{Citation |last=Fox-Brewster |first=Thomas |date=December 10, 2015 |title=Taser Employees Hit iTunes To 'Troll' Documentary That Probes Suspect Killings |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2015/12/10/taser-trolling-killing-them-safely/ |access-date=December 11, 2015 }}{{Citation |last=Mills |first=Chris |date=December 10, 2015 |title=Taser Employees Appear to Troll Anti-Taser Documentary With Fake Reviews |work=Gizmodo |url=https://gizmodo.com/taser-employees-appear-to-troll-anti-taser-documentary-1747472321 |access-date=December 11, 2015 }}{{Citation |last=Swaine |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Swaine |date=December 11, 2015 |title=Taser staff appear to post negative reviews for film critical of stun guns |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/11/taser-documentary-killing-them-safely-negative-reviews-amazon-itunes |access-date=December 11, 2015 }}

In January 2016, TASER International was sued by Digital Ally for infringing its two U.S. patents on the automatic activation of law enforcement body-worn cameras. TASER International called the suit "frivolous and egregious".{{cite web|title=Is This the Lawsuit That Kills TASER International?|url=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/24/is-this-the-lawsuit-that-kills-taser-international.aspx|website=Fool.com|date=January 24, 2016 |access-date=April 8, 2017}}

A Californian criminal defense lawyer noted that the Evidence.com terms of service gives the company a "non-exclusive, transferable, irrevocable, royalty-free, sub-licensable, worldwide license" to use photos and videos uploaded by its users, which may violate California privacy law, especially in regards to data involving juveniles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170430/06344937270/taser-axon-separating-defense-lawyers-body-camera-footage-with-license-agreements.shtml|title=Taser/Axon Separating Defense Lawyers From Body Camera Footage With License Agreements|last=Cushing|first=Tim|website=Techdirt.|date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=2019-05-11}}

In June 2022, after Axon proposed a plan for taser-armed drones to stop school shootings, Axon's institutional review board expressed disagreement with the plan{{cite web | last=Dbusmann Jr | first=Bernd | title=US shootings: Firm unveils plans for Taser-armed drones | website=BBC News | date=June 3, 2022 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61685117 | access-date=June 4, 2022}} and issued a unanimous statement of concern.{{cite web | title=Firm proposes Taser-armed drones to stop school shootings | website=KOMO News | date=June 3, 2022 | url=https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/firm-proposes-taser-armed-drones-to-stop-school-shootings-uvalde-texas-sandy-hook-columbine-reddit | access-date=June 4, 2022}} Nine members of the board resigned.{{cite web | title=Axon Pauses Plans for Taser Drone as Ethics Board Members Resign | website=The New York Times | date=June 6, 2022 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/business/axon-taser-drone.html | access-date=June 6, 2022}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• Anglen, Robert. "Taser tied to 'independent' study that backs stun gun." The Arizona Republic. May 21, 2005. [https://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0521TaserDOD21.html]
• Johnson, Kevin. "Taser contributes to police families." USA Today. April 24, 2005. [https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-04-24-coplobby-inside_x.htm]
• "Taser research marred by conflicts." Vermont Huardian. May 23, 2005. [http://www.vermontguardian.com/dailies/0904/0523.shtml]
• Frosch, Dan. "Ex-Albuquerque Police Chief Accused of Violating Ethics Laws in Auditor’s Report" The Wall Street Journal. April 30, 2015. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-albuquerque-police-chief-accused-of-violating-ethics-laws-in-auditors-report-1430435296]

• {{Official website|https://www.axon.com}}

{{Finance links

| name = Axon Enterprise, Inc.

| symbol = AXON

| reuters = AXON.O

| bloomberg = AXON:US

| sec_cik = 1069183

| yahoo = AXON

| google = AXON:NASDAQ

}}

{{Nasdaq-100}}

{{Portal bar|Arizona|Companies}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2001 initial public offerings

Category:Companies listed on the Nasdaq

Category:Companies based in Scottsdale, Arizona

Category:Defense companies of the United States

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Arizona

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1991

Category:Taser