Alamosa City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a 10-year, $2.13 million master services agreement with Axon Enterprises, consolidating the police department’s existing technology contracts and adding an AI-powered report-writing tool.
IT Director Brandon Gallegos told council the deal bundles dash cameras, digital storage, Tasers, interview room systems, and the new AI Era package into a single contract. The city currently spends just over $155,000 annually on separate five-year Axon agreements. Under the new deal, payments hold at current levels through 2027 before stepping up gradually. The contract includes equipment refreshes every five years and a cancellation option under Section 17.
Captain Brandon Bertsch said the AI draft-writing tool — called Draft1 — transcribes recorded interviews and generates a skeleton report structure, but officers must review and complete every narrative before submission. “Whatever happens, you keep a human in the loop,” Gallegos said. Chief George Dingfelder and Bertsch both cited time savings on complex reports as a primary benefit, freeing officers for proactive patrol work.
Several residents spoke against the agreement during public comment. One speaker raised cybersecurity concerns, arguing that publicly accessible camera locations could aid criminals. Another questioned whether Axon’s projected time-savings figures were supported by independent research rather than company marketing. A third cited concerns about potential surveillance use by federal immigration authorities. City Attorney Erich Schwiesow advised council that officers must not simply trust AI-generated drafts, noting AI “is not ready for prime time” in legal contexts.
Council voted unanimously to approve the agreement after extended discussion.
Council also unanimously approved Resolution No. 10-2026, authorizing staff to submit an application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for Main Street Candidate Program designation — a milestone the city has pursued for several years. The application deadline falls in early July.
During public comment, a business owner asked council to consider reimbursing $24,444 in costs to restore a sign removed from city right-of-way during a recent infrastructure project at Pike Avenue and Highway 160. Council took no action on the request.
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