By Police1 Staff
NEW YORK — The NYPD and Axon are conducting concurrent investigations after an officer’s body camera started to smoke and exploded Saturday.
An officer had gotten the Vievu LE-5 body camera for his midnight tour when he noticed smoke coming from the bottom of it. He immediately removed it, after which it exploded. The officer was not injured in the incident.
Axon released a statement saying the company is conducting a thorough analysis of its manufacturing supply chain process. The NYPD is also contracting with an independent, third-party forensic consultant to investigate the reported issue.
The camera’s battery may have caused the problem, NYPD officials said in a statement.
NYPD has suspended the use of the Vievu model LE-5 body cams while investigators identify the issue. Nearly 3,000 LE-5 body cams were in use in 16 NYPD precincts when the incident occured, CBS reported.
“We are committed to the success of the NYPD’s body-worn camera program and will work closely with them over the following months to ensure this is resolved quickly and safely,” Axon’s statement read.
The issue does not affect officers with LE-4 body cams, and those officers will continue to use them as required by NYPD policy.
Axon acquired Vievu in May as part of a 10-year agreement between Axon and Vievu’s former parent company, Safariland.