UPDATE: December 2, 11:00 p.m.
The Kennewick Police Department has approved a significant new contract for police technology, marking a major step forward for safety for officers and the community.
The Kennewick City Council unanimously approved a 10-year contract with Axon, securing updated body cameras, new tasers, drone upgrades and AI-assisted reporting. This technology aims to enhance both safety and efficiency.
Police Chief Chris Guerrero presented the new technologies to the council.
“These technologies include a internal affairs software, updated tasers, a real time information center platform which consolidates the viewers vision of cameras and different technologies,” said Guerrero.
The department reviewed its current contract early to secure a better deal before it expires next year. The plan will cost $10 million over the next decade. Funding will come from an existing sales tax from the Capital Improvement Program.
Guerrero emphasized the impact of these upgrades.
“In my 29 years of policing, this will have the largest impact on public safety and officer safety that we have seen,” said Guerrero.
The department announced that the rollout of the new equipment will begin next year, with the first wave arriving in early 2026.
KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Kennewick Police Department is proposing a significant technology upgrade to the city council, promising to enhance safety for both officers and the community.
The proposed 10-year Axon contract includes new body cameras, drones and artificial intelligence tools. Kennewick City Council received its first look at the proposal, which totals more than $10 million over the next decade.
The new contract aims to replace outdated equipment, add virtual reality training, upgrade tasers and provide officers access to regional tools like school and bus cameras when necessary.
The department emphasized the introduction of the AI era, where AI tools would listen to audio from calls or body cams to help draft reports and organize case files. This would allow officers to spend less time at a computer and more time on patrol and engaging with the community.
Currently, the contract costs the city about $330,000 annually. The police department believes the new package will expand safety tools, benefiting Kennewick and the entire Tri-Cities region.
Police highlighted the interconnectedness of the region’s safety, stating, “You see what what happens in Pasco is easily our drive over the bridge into Kennewick. What occurs in Richland affects us just the just the same, what I see happening in the next year or two is us utilizing this technology to benefit each other.”
The proposal also includes new translation tools within the cameras, allowing officers to communicate with victims in their native language without diverting bilingual officers from other calls. The police say this investment prevents Kennewick from lagging behind other cities and stops criminals from exploiting technology gaps.
Chief Chris Guerrero of the Kennewick Police Department said, “The way technology is advancing not only as a society, as a nation, the bad guys are getting really good at the use of technology. What we don’t want to see is people continually victimized. So we need to keep up with the way the bad guys are keeping up.”
The proposal was presented for consideration, and the city council will vote on the contract next Tuesday. The outcome will influence the department and community’s future safety measures.
Original Coverage 11/25/25 10:14 p.m.
