Renton Police Department will get more AI technology

The Renton Police Department will soon be incorporating new AI software into its law-enforcement technology.

The Renton City Council recently approved to extend the city’s contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. by 10 years for the cost of $1.56 million, an increase to the current contract by approximately $700,000. With the price increase, Renton Police Department Public Information Officer Meeghan Black said the additions will enhance the department’s existing products by modernising their public safety systems.

“By integrating software, hardware, and AI solutions, this plan makes our department more efficient and effective in addressing public safety concerns in our community,” Black said.

At the Dec. 8 council meeting, RPD Deputy Chief Ryan Rutledge touted the new software to body-worn cameras that would enable real-time translation and transcribing capabilities to all officers.

“When I first saw the demonstration, it was in a scenario with a person that spoke Vietnamese and it just blew me away, to be candid,” Rutledge said. “We have the option to say what language we want to speak and there’s over 100 languages right now in that library.”

The software will also be able to detect the language of the speaker for the police officer. This feature is part of a larger AI Era Plan that is designed to save time, streamline evidence management and help officers more effectively respond to calls by giving law‐enforcement agencies access to a growing suite of AI-powered tools.

The police department will also be adding a real-time crime center, called Fusus, that integrates live video, drone footage, and Axon feeds for real-time decision making. This is expected to reduce response time, increase case clearance, and produce more positive investigation outcomes, according to the department.

The new Drone as First Responder (DFR) program will provide real-time aerial intelligence to responding officers, enabling faster and safer emergency responses. To combat nefarious drones, the DeDrone Rapid Response Trailer will provide the police with the technology to detect and track unauthorized drones to protect people from malfunctioning drones at large gatherings, such as the 2026 World Cup events. The technology would allow the police to view the make and model of the drone and receive the GPS coordinates of the pilot to contact them for education or enforcement purposes.

Axon will also be providing the Renton police with a new self-defense technology, the Taser 10, which is said to have a greater accuracy, range and effectiveness to reduce injury. Replacing the department’s current Taser 7, the tool will be used to deescalate dangerous situations without the use of lethal force.

“A lot of things we are excited about: immediate impacts to public safety, to the community and to officers, and built-in efficiency,” Rutledge said. “It’s up to us to reallocate that time we are saving to put our officers out into the communities proactively patrolling.”

The agenda bill said there is sufficient budget for the extension in 2026, but future biennium budgets will require an ongoing additional cost of approximately $1 million per year.

“This expanded technology package strengthens our ability to prevent, respond to, and investigate crime,” Black said. “It positions Renton PD as a leader in public safety innovation and supports our commitment to transparency, best practices, and community trust.”