Head of the Biggest Body Camera Maker Says George Floyd Was a Wake-Up Call
Cameras on cops aren’t a panacea.
A Los Angeles police officer wear an Axon body camera.
Photographer: David McNew/Getty Images
Rick Smith, the chief executive officer of Axon Enterprise Inc., one of the largest police technology companies, said the killing of George Floyd has changed the way he thinks about the purpose of his company. Smith, who is white, said he was surprised to learn something in recent conversations with black colleagues that they have known for most of their lives: Negative experiences with the police are painfully common.
Now, he thinks Axon has a responsibility to confront institutional racism within police departments. “We can’t change politics, but we can build tech,” he says. “That’s what we do, we apply technology to social problems.”