Spanish Fort police officers will soon be equipped with body cameras, new tasers and a drone after the City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. and its Canadian affiliate.
The council’s resolution authorizes Mayor Brad Bass to sign the contract, clearing the way for the police department to modernize several pieces of frontline equipment. The measure passed without opposition, reflecting broad support among council members for outfitting officers with updated technology.
While the resolution itself does not list a purchase price, city documents show the Axon quotes total more than $75,000. That includes roughly $22,923.80 over five years for six Axon Body 4 cameras, an eight-bay charging dock and virtual training valued at $1,475. A separate line item covers $23,855 for an Axon Air Skydio X10 drone package, giving the department an aerial tool that can support search operations, traffic crash reconstruction and other calls. The largest piece of the agreement is $28,794.96 over four years for TASER 10 units and related officer training.
Body-worn cameras have become increasingly standard across Alabama law enforcement agencies in recent years, giving departments a documented record of officer interactions that can be used for training, evidentiary purposes and public accountability. Axon, the equipment’s manufacturer, is one of the largest suppliers of body cameras and less-lethal weapons to police departments nationwide.
The city plans to purchase the equipment through Sourcewell, a national government purchasing cooperative that allows municipalities to buy from vetted vendor contracts without running an individual competitive bid process. City Attorney David Conner told the council that the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts has approved Sourcewell for this type of municipal purchasing, which streamlines the process for the city.
Spanish Fort, located in Baldwin County along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, has seen steady population growth in recent years, a trend that has pushed city leaders to continue investing in public safety infrastructure and equipment to keep pace with demand for police services.