Nov 10, 2026 · 56 min
Axon CEO weighs safer policing against expanding state power
Freedom vs. Safety: Axon CEO Rick Smith on the Future of Policing
As policing becomes more connected and automated, the episode examines whether safeguards can keep public-safety technology accountable to democratic oversight.
- 1Rick Smith traces Axon’s evolution from a garage-built Taser company into a broad public-safety technology platform.
- 2Body cameras can strengthen accountability, but connected surveillance systems require narrow use cases, access controls, and penalties for misuse.
- 3Smith supports robotic assistance in policing while insisting humans retain responsibility for force decisions through layered authorization and oversight.
Don't miss
Smith defends a proposed Taser-equipped drone for extreme emergencies, then explains how the controversy led Axon to broaden its ethics council.
The brief
Rick Smith recounts building Taser prototypes from a Tucson garage, surviving regulatory and financial setbacks, and finding product-market fit after police departments—not consumers—became the target market.
The company’s transformation from Taser to Axon depended on software, cloud infrastructure, and body cameras, which Smith says became essential after officers and the public demanded clearer evidence.
The conversation turns to surveillance: license-plate readers, home cameras, and connected systems may improve safety, but only with case-based searches, strict access controls, and consequences for misuse.
Smith defends the possibility of Taser-equipped drones for extreme emergencies, while acknowledging the backlash that pushed Axon to broaden its ethics council and public safeguards.
His proposed future keeps humans responsible for force through multi-key authorization, real-time approval, recording requirements, and civilian oversight of increasingly capable machines.
What was said on this episode
30 statements · 24 positive · 3 negative · 3 neutral
A body-camera entertainment business remains viable for another company.
“But I think it's, it's there for somebody to do it.”
Listen at 1:40
Tasers will prove as effective as or more effective than guns within five years.
“And that will happen in the next five years.”
Listen at 7:33
Taser went public at approximately a $12 million valuation.
“we went public at a massive, about $12 million valuation.”
Listen at 9:44
Taser was the world’s best-performing stock in 2004.
“In 2004, we were the number one performing stock. in the world”
Listen at 13:33
Taser’s stock fell from $33 to $7 per share in 2005.
“2005, our stock dropped from $33 to $7 a share.”
Listen at 14:26
Taser’s market capitalization fell from about $2 billion to $100 million.
“It peaked about 2 billion in late 2004, and then it was back to about 100 million.”
Listen at 15:37
Axon currently has zero litigation cases.
“For the first time in decades, we now have zero litigation cases.”
Listen at 16:45
Axon moved its software infrastructure to AWS and Azure cloud platforms.
“So we moved over to the cloud with AWS and then with Azure.”
Listen at 19:05
Axon’s system serves over one million officers uploading two hours daily.
“we have over a million police officers uploading two hours of video every day from one of these body cameras.”
Listen at 20:24
Axon was building the industry’s first police body camera.
“we were building the industry's first body camera.”
Listen at 22:57
Axon’s body-camera business drove growth to approximately a $30 billion company.
“The reason that we're, I don't know, a $30 billion company today up from a couple hundred million is because of the body camera.”
Listen at 23:09
A subsequent review largely supported Officer Wilson’s account of Michael Brown’s shooting.
“The subsequent review ended up showing that the officer was largely correct, but you couldn't prove it.”
Listen at 26:37
Virtually every major police department now uses body cameras.
“today, virtually, I think every major police department now wears body cameras.”
Listen at 28:15
There are currently more cameras than people.
“there's more cameras than people.”
Listen at 29:58
Senator Hawley’s proposed guidelines and oversight should govern surveillance technologies.
“I'm a big supporter of what Senator Hawley is doing to introduce guidelines and oversight”
Listen at 31:35
Ring has implemented strong safeguards after public criticism.
“I think Ring likely learned from that incident. They've put really good safeguards in place.”
Listen at 33:23
Senator Hawley’s proposal includes criminal and civil penalties for misuse.
“I believe there's criminal and civil penalties.”
Listen at 34:38
Axon will become the largest investor in Skydio.
“we recently will have become the largest investor in America's leading drone company.”
Listen at 36:27
Skydio drones can sometimes reach incidents before 911 call entry is complete.
“they're able to get a drone on scene sometimes before the 911 operator has even finished entering the call for service.”
Listen at 36:53
A high probability of apprehension and prosecution deters crime better than long sentences.
“the best deterrence to criminal behavior is not long sentences. It's a high probability that you will get caught and prosecuted.”
Listen at 40:55
Axon’s Taser-equipped drone project is continuing.
“that project is continuing”
Listen at 41:59
Remote nonlethal drone or robot force is preferable to additional gunfights.
“using nonlethal force safely deployed from a distance via a drone or robot is in everybody's best interest compared to, you know, having more gunfights in society.”
Listen at 43:34
Humans will make all decisions to use force in policing.
“Any decisions about using force on another person will be made by humans.”
Listen at 46:01
Axon will build policing technology designed to be exceptionally resistant to abuse.
“we're actually going to be building the least abusable technology in the history of policing.”
Listen at 46:40
Drones will become bigger and faster, while humanoid robots will emerge.
“I do believe both humanoids. I think drones will be bigger, faster.”
Listen at 47:03
Millions of drones will be deployed in the United States within several years.
“there's going to be millions of drones in the next few years deployed in the US.”
Listen at 47:16
Axon will hold exclusive distribution rights for Skydio in selected markets.
“we've secured the exclusive rights. So we will be the exclusive channel into the markets that we care about”
Listen at 47:34
Defunding police would produce catastrophic social consequences.
“if you actually defund the police, you know, we will get some social experiments. I can tell you, you don't need an experiment to show what would happen. It will be catastrophic.”
Listen at 51:31
Technology will help produce a near-utopian society within 10–20 years.
“I think 10, 20 years from now is going to be a near utopian society.”
Listen at 54:27
Technology will cure many diseases and social ills.
“I think technology is going to cure many diseases, many ills.”
Listen at 54:34
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Books & mentions
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