When a call for service comes in, the clock starts ticking. Law enforcement agencies move quickly to respond, investigate, and bring resolution. But closure is often difficult without the help of the community. Neighbors, businesses, and bystanders often hold key pieces of information that can make all the difference. At Axon, we’re committed to making that collaboration for agencies and communities easy, transparent, and built on trust. Our ecosystem helps connect communities and public safety professionals, making it easier for the public to contribute on their own terms and work together towards safer outcomes. 

In-the-moment collaboration

Every call begins with a moment of uncertainty, and communities can play a vital role in bringing clarity. Community Connect is a voluntary program that lets residents and businesses securely share camera access with local law enforcement to enhance public safety. Businesses, organizations and schools can integrate their cameras directly into Axon Fusus, a real-time operations platform. This connection allows authorized law enforcement users to view live footage during emergencies, based on the specific settings and permissions defined by the camera owner. Access is always alert-based and logged, not continuous, ensuring choice, transparency and privacy at all times.

In the same program, residents and businesses can register their cameras to help agencies create a secure map within Axon Fusus, so agencies know who to contact for post-incident requests. This voluntary registry does not provide live access; it simply helps public safety connect with community members to gather relevant, valuable evidence when needed.

Both options empower community members to decide how they want to contribute to safety — with full control over when, how, and whether their cameras are accessed.

Additional community collaboration is possible via an integration with Citizen, a consumer app that enables users to alert others of nearby incidents. Available today in early access for select cities, the integration helps agencies see posts and videos that people choose to share publicly as events unfold. In participating pilot programs, law enforcement can also share verified updates in the app for people near an incident, for example, a road closure or a request to avoid an area. 

Soon, with Community Notifications, agencies will be able to send 911 callers proactive updates before help arrives, reducing anxiety and setting clear expectations. 

Each of these tools create opportunities for collaboration in the critical moments of a call, while ensuring privacy and choice remain in the hands of the community.

Accelerating closure after the scene

Community partnership doesn’t end once the call is over. Residents, retailers, and witnesses often hold key information that can accelerate an investigation and bring a case to closure.

In addition to tools like Community Connect, with Community Request, agencies can invite nearby Ring smart camera owners to voluntarily share relevant video. When submitted, footage transfers directly into Axon Evidence, preserving chain of custody, logging every interaction and keeping sensitive material secure from start to finish.

The Retail Crime Hub, powered by Auror, is another tool that extends collaboration to businesses by tackling one of the fastest growing threats to community safety: organized retail crime. What was once seen as only shoplifting has evolved into a violent, organized threat with real consequences for community safety and local economies. Losses topped $130B in 2024, with 10% of offenders driving 70% of loss according to Auror. 

Integrated directly into Axon Evidence, the Retail Crime Hub helps law enforcement quickly identify repeat offenders, save time by gathering digital evidence in a few clicks, and collaborate with 26,000+ retail locations across the U.S. who are using Auror. What once took weeks of siloed effort can often be accomplished in hours, giving prosecutors the unified evidence they need to hold offenders accountable. 

Axon also offers a community survey tool that can help to close the loop even further, allowing agencies to gather community feedback after an incident and strengthen relationships long after the call has ended. 

Trust by design

For these partnerships to succeed, trust must come first. Axon’s community solutions are built with privacy, ethics, and governance at the core. Community sharing is always voluntary, requests are specific and time-bound, and agencies do not have continuous access to private cameras. Role-based permissions, audit logs, and policy-aligned retention help ensure accountability. These safeguards protect community rights while enabling meaningful collaboration, giving people confidence that their participation supports public safety without compromising their privacy. 

Our Responsible Innovation Framework guides these safeguards across product design and policy. We also engage external experts through the Ethics and Equity Advisory Council to pressure test decisions before they reach the field.

Closing the call together

Public safety agencies and communities share the same goal: safe, thriving neighborhoods where trust runs deep. By making it easier for communities to participate—whether through a Ring camera, a Citizen app video, or feedback in a community survey—Axon helps agencies close the call. Not just with speed and efficiency, but with transparency and trust. Because in the end, it’s about solving crime faster and that happens most effectively when communities and public safety organizations work together. 

See how Axon’s community solutions work in action—visit us at Booth #1323 during the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference.