Axon launches new body camera, looks to hire 300 as company ramps up operations
Axon Enterprise Inc. is launching its next-generation body camera and is looking to fill hundreds of jobs as the company ramps up operations.
The Scottsdale-based law enforcement technology company on Wednesday released the Axon Body 4, which it says boosts transparency and real-time communication among public safety officials.
The Axon Body 4 has a larger field of view from prior models with an option to connect an additional point-of-view camera, allowing for alternative perspectives closely mirroring the officers’ field of vision. It also combines bi-directional audio with video livestreaming that allows dispatchers, supervisors or mental health experts to communicate directly with officers in real-time through the Axon Body 4.
“Axon Body 4’s advanced features are a giant leap forward for handling an incident safely in real-time,” Rick Smith, founder and CEO of Axon, said in a statement. “Axon Body 4 provides far more than just a camera. It has the ability to be a communications beacon. We believe Axon Body 4 will be a powerful tool in public safety and security that can unlock new levels of transparency, flexibility, increased situational awareness and real-time support. This device sits at the core of equipping agencies so they never miss a moment.”
Axon’s (Nasdaq: AXON) new iteration of its body camera is part of the company’s goal to reduce gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% in the next decade, according to the company.
Axon Body 4 is currently being trialed by several agencies nationwide and will be available to customers by the second half of 2023.
Axon adds new board members, seeks to fill 300 jobs
Axon, which makes Taser stun guns and other law enforcement products, is looking to fill more than 300 jobs worldwide as it continues to grow at a rapid pace, Corinne Clark, a spokeswoman for Axon, said in an email.
Some of those jobs include software engineers, account executives, customer service representatives and technicians, according to Axon’s website.
“We continue to look at ways we can provide innovative technology and connected solutions so our customers can better protect their communities, including continuing to invest in our organizational growth,” she said.
The company has more than 2,900 employees, including more than 1,200 in Arizona. Clark did not specify how many Arizona-based jobs the company is looking to fill.
Axon’s new product launch comes as the company recently added three new members to its board of directors: Erica Ayers, CEO of Barstool Sports; Graham Smith, a former Salesforce executive; and Jeri Williams, former chief of police for the Phoenix Police Department. Smith and Williams joined the board in March. Ayers’ appointment takes effect June 1.
Axon’s clients include first responders, law enforcement, fire, corrections and emergency medical services as well as commercial enterprises and consumers.
In 2020, Axon bought 74 acres of state trust land in north Scottsdale for $49.1 million for its new headquarters, after reaching an agreement with the city of Scottsdale. The agreement requires Axon to develop 250,000 square feet of space and reach a payroll of $130 million within five years following the land purchase, the Business Journal previously reported.
Axon’s headquarters houses the company’s testing labs, manufacturing, customer training and warehousing operations, research and development facilities and event space.
The company did not comment on a completion date for its headquarters expansion.
Clark said in an email that $85 million is “expected to be deployed toward Axon’s campus in Scottsdale.” The project, which includes a next-generation manufacturing facility, will consolidate multiple facilities and bring increased automation to future generations of product hardware,” she said.
Axon generated $1.2 billion in revenue in 2022, a 38% increase compared to a year prior, primarily driven by a rise in demand for the company’s products, according to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In the fourth quarter, the company reported net income of $29 million, down from $39 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to regulatory filings.
Axon is expected to release first quarter earnings in May. Axon’s stock closed $222.22 a share on Thursday. Track the stock here.