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Voice of Community

How community-informed insight shapes responsible product outcomes.

How it works

Axon gathers input from diverse stakeholders, including industry experts, academics, policymakers, public safety and community representatives. This input becomes insights that product teams use to shape safeguards and deployment guidance.

Who makes up the Voice of Community

The Voice of Community is made up of three groups: Axon's Ethics and Equity Advisory Council (EEAC), national civil rights and public safety organizations, and Axon's Community Impact team. Together, they bring independent expertise, community perspective, and lived experience into the product development process.

Community Impact

Who participates

Internal Axon team that facilitates and oversees Voice of Community engagement, bringing broader stakeholder input into product development.

Ethics & Equity Advisory Council (EEAC)

Who participates

Independent ethics and equity experts with diverse backgrounds and community perspectives.

Meet the EEAC

Community Organizations

Who participates

National civil rights and public safety accountability organizations that provide expertise on police oversight, community safety, and equitable policing practices.

Meet our community partners

STEP BY STEP

How insights are produced:

  • Products are selected based on their potential community impact — with particular attention to those that introduce new use of force capabilities, add AI to officer workflows, or represent a meaningful expansion in scope or risk.

What we review

At Axon, we concentrate on emerging products, features, or capabilities where community input can meaningfully shape design, safeguards, and deployment practices before they're widely adopted.

Intended use and who is affected

The product's intended function, who will use it, and which communities are most likely to be affected, including those who may not be the direct users but experience its impact.

User workflows & decision points

How the technology functions within real workflows: where human judgment is required, where decisions are made, and how the operator experience may shape outcomes.

Risks

Privacy concerns, potential for misuse, safety implications, and the possibility of disparate impact across different communities — with particular attention to communities that are already disproportionately affected by law enforcement.

Safeguards

Built-in product features, policy requirements, training protocols, and oversight mechanisms designed to prevent misuse and support accountability.

Rollout approach

How the product will be introduced — including which customers are involved early, what feedback mechanisms are in place, and how lessons from initial deployments will inform broader release.

Transparency plans

What information will be shared publicly, how communities can access it, and how Axon will communicate product safeguards and outcomes over time.

Examples of questions we ask

  • Who could be harmed if this is misused?

  • What safeguards prevent unauthorized use?

  • How will impacts be measured after launch?

  • Are there disparate impacts on specific communities?

  • What privacy protections are in place?

  • How can affected communities provide input?

What we do not review

Voice of Community focuses on responsible innovation for emerging or high-stakes products. The following areas are outside our scope:

Routine product improvements

Minor feature updates, bug fixes, or standard performance enhancements to existing products.

Commercial or business strategy

Pricing models, market positioning, sales tactics, or competitive business decisions.

Individual customer implementations

Agency-specific configurations, custom workflows, or one-off deployment decisions.

Legal or regulatory compliance

Interpretation of laws, regulatory requirements, or legal liability questions.

Technical architecture decisions

Internal engineering choices, infrastructure, or technical implementation details that don't affect end-user impact.

Post-sale customer disputes

Warranty issues, contract disputes, or individual customer service matters.

Our focus: We concentrate on emerging products, features, or capabilities where community input can meaningfully shape design, safeguards, and deployment practices before they're widely adopted.