US CBP awards contract for agent body cameras

U.S. Customs & Border Protection has signed a $13 million contract with Axon Enterprises Inc. to equip 3,800 U.S. Border Patrol agents with body cameras and connection to a cloud-based digital evidence platform.

This Incident-Driven Video Recording System (IDVRS) will enhance transparency and accountability with the public, while providing additional documentation during enforcement incidents. Beginning next spring, the IDVRS will be deployed in phases to the following USBP sectors: San Diego, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Big Bend, Del Rio, Rio Grande Valley, and Swanton sector on the northern border.

As part of CBP’s strategic focus, this effort will enhance transparency and accountability while strengthening the safety of our agents in the field. New and emerging technologies allow CBP to be more efficient and better serve the American public.

Policies guiding the use of the IDVRS are in their early stages, and specific details regarding the rollout of the system will be forthcoming in spring 2021.