Ethics Investigation Into Atlanta Police CAO Financial Interest In Axon/Fusus
What financial interests should public officials or non-profit executives have with technology companies selling to the police?
Fusus, based in Atlanta, has grown quickly and was recently acquired by Axon at a $300 million valuation.
Now, a rare disclosure raises serious questions about such a relationship.
Executive *******
*** ***** ***** *****:
- * ****** ********* **** ********* **** public ****** ******** *** *** * financial ******** ** ******* ******* ******** to ******* ***** ********** ***** ** a ***** ******* *** *** ****** and * **** *** *** ******.
- ********, **** **** ****** *********, **** has *********, **** * ********** *******, which ***** *** ***** **** ** vendors *** ********* ******* ********* *************.
**********
******* ****** ***** ************** *************** **************** * ********* ******** ** *****/****, leading ** ** ****** *************. **** disclosures *** ******** *** ***** ******* concerns ***** **** ********* ******** ****** to ****** *********.
** *******'* ****, *******'* ********** ***** make ** ********* ** ********* **** he ******** *** ******** *** *** size ** *** *****. *******'* ******** of ******** ***** ******* ****** ********* to ******** *** ********* **** * decision ********* *** ********* ** ******** is ** ** **** (*.*., ** not *** **** ****-******* ******** **** Freeman *** ******** ****, ** ***** not ** ******** ** ******** *** stake ** *****). ************, *******'* ********* disclosure ***** ** *** ******* ****** officials ** ******** *** ******** ** companies ***** $**,*** - * ********* condition *** **** ******** ** *** nominal ***** ** ****** ** ***** stages ** ***** ***, ******** ****** officials ** *** ****** ******* ********** it *********.
******* *** ******* ********, ** **** case, ** *** *********** ** *******'* consulting ****, ***** ** ****** ** an ********** ****** ** ******. ************, having * ********** **** **** **** business **** **** ********* (*** *******, Fusus/Axon) ***** ******* *** ****** ** money *** ********** ******* ** ** public *********, ** ******** ************* **** private ********* *** ********* ***-****** ***********.
*** ****** ******* * *** ****** in **** ****. ** ******* *** gained ******** ***** ******* ** *** COO ** *** ******* ****** **********, it ***** **** **** * ******** of ******** **** ***** **** ******** the ******** ** *** *****. ** Freeman ****** *** ******** ***** ** APD, ** ***** ***** ******** ***** an ******* ****** ******** ***** ****** towards * ************ ******* ******* **** the ****.
No ********
*** ******* ** *******'* ********** ** Fusus *** *******. **. *******, ****, and *** ****** ******** (*** ******* funding ****** *** ***** **********), ******* Police **********, ****** *** *** ******* or ******** ** ******* ** ****.
Fusus, *** *******
******** *** ********** **** *** **** the *******, *** **** ******** *** companies **** ****, **** *********** ******** ********** * ********* ***** ** *****. Freeman *** ******** **** ***** ** his ******** ********, ******* ****** **********, and **** ******** ** *****-******* ***** releases *** **** ******. ** **** has ** ***** *********** ** *******.
Atlanta ** "****** ****" *** *****
******* ** *** ** *** **** prominent ********** ********* *** *****, *** as ****'* ****** ********* **** ** an ******** *******, ***** ******* *** a **** **, ** ** * "ground ****" *** *** *******:
[* - ****'* ***] ********,Atlanta ** ** **** ****** **** *** *****. They came out of the Atlanta area for a little bit about how you guys are using cases. I worked with him and got them to where they are today
[* - *******] ** **** ********* one ** ***early ***** ******** ** *****. [emphasis added]
*** **** ******* ** ********, *** our **** ****** -**** **** **** **** ******.
***** *** ******** ** **** **** - ***** ****, ********* ** *******, and ** *** **** **** ** one ** *** ******* ***** *********** about *** **********, ** ***** *****:
Atlanta ****** ********** ****** ***** **********
** *** ******* ****** **********'* (***) current ******* ********, *** ************ ******** ******* ******* for *** ******* ******* ******* (** its *******, *****), ***** ** *** funded ** *** ****** **********. ******, an***'* *** ******************** ****:
** ****,APF ****** the latest iteration of Operation Shield, which has been dubbed Connect *******. This latest evolutionary step was driven by the procurement ** *** ******** ******** *****, which allows for the creation of a real-time crime center. [emphasis added]
*** *******, ********** ****** **********(***) ********* ****** ** ***** * "public-private *********** *****," "********* ***** ********* support ** *** *****, *** ***** of ****** *** *** ******* ****** Department ** *** ********* ** ****** safety’s ****** *********."
************, *** ** *******'* **-********, ** he ****** ** *** *** *** 6+ *****, ********* ***** ********:
Conflict ** ******** **********
******* ***** * ******** ** ******** form*** ******* ******* **** ****-******* ******* in ******* ****, * ***** ********** ******** ******** * **** ***** ******* ***,** ***** ******** ** *** ******* Community ***** **********. ** ******* **** *** ****** is ***** *****:
Atlanta's ********** *****
*** *********** *** ******** ** **** case - ****** ********* *********** *** a ******** ** ******** **********.
******* *** **** ******* *** ********* disclosures *** ******* ***** ****** ** was ******** ** ** ** ** an ***'* ***, ** ** *** on *** ****'* *****+ ******** *****. In ***** *******, ****** ********* *** required ** **** *** ***** ***** $10,000 **** **** ****, ** ***** below:
** ******** **** **** ** ****, Freeman *** *** **** *** ***** above $**,***.
**** *** ** ********* *** **** companies, ********** ** ******* ******, ** they *** ***** **** *** ******* value ** *** ***** ** ***** low. ****, ****** ********* *** *** equity ***** ************* **** **** $**,*** in * *** *****.
** *** *** ******** ** ******** form, *******'* ***** ******* ****** ********* to **** **** **** **** * decision ******* ** *** *******(***) ** question, ** *** **** ****** ***************** *** *******:
******** ** ******** ********** ******. **** officials *** ********* **** **** ** online ******** ********** **** **** **** have * ********* ** ******** ******** in * ********, ***********, ** ****** pending ****** *** ********** ** *** or *** ******. ** ** *** within ***** **** ** *** ******* decision.
**** ***** **** ******* ***** *** have ********* *** ********* ******** ** Axon ** *** *** **** ****-******* matter ** ******** **** (** ** indicated ** *** **********). **** **** not **** ****** ***** *** ********* of ******** ********** ***** *** ********** in ***** *********, *** **** ******* a ******** *** ****** ********* ** have ****** ** ********* ***** *********** later ********.
Freeman's ********** ****
***** ****** ********* **********, ***** ** ***** ****, ******* listed * ********** ****, **** ******** LLC, ** ** ********** ****** ** income, *****, ********* ** ******** ******** data, *** ******* ** ******* *******:
**** **** ******** *** ******** ** interest ************* **** *******, **, ************, Fusus ** ***** ********** ******* ***** hire **** ******** ** ** ********** and ** **** ** ****** ** cash. ** ******* ** *** ********** of **** ********, **** ******/**** ***** end ** **** ***. *******, ******* it **** ** ***** ** *********, as **** **** ** *** ******.
Ethics ************* ******
********* *******'* **********, ********** ****** ************ ** *************. *** ****** ********* to **** **** *** ************* ** still *******, *** ** *** *** provide *** *******:
***, *** ****** ** ********* ************* this ******. **** ****, ******* **** is ** ******* ****** ** *** unable ** ******* *** ********** *********** at **** ****.
Date ** ********** ******* ** ** ****
*** ******** ******* ** ** ******** about **** ******* ****** * ********* interest ** *****.
** ******* *** **** ** ***** at ***, *** ************ **** ****** the ********** *** *** * ******* part ** *******'* *******, **** ***** have *********** * ******** ** ******** that ***** **** ******** *** ******** to *** ***** ** *** ***** place.
** ******* *** ** ***** ** the ****** **********, ** ***** ***** broader ******** ***** ****** ********* ****** a ********* ***** ** * ******* that ****** ***** *********.
Tech ********* ****** ****** ** ****** *********
**** **** ************ * ******* ******* about *** ***** **** ********* ***** equity ** ****** ********* *** *** intermediate ********* (*.*., *******'* ********** ****) and ********* ** ********** ***** ***** be **** ** ******* **** ****** ownership.
** **** *** ***** ** **** of ***** *****, ******, ***** ********* and ********* ***** ** ********* ********* not ** ******** **** ********, ** cannot ********* *** ********* **** ***** be.
** **** ** **** ***** ***** on **** *** *** *** ********. Idiots.
******* ** ********* ***, *** ***** is ***** ********. ** ******** **** corruption ** **********. ***'* *****, ******* will ** ****.
***** *** *********** ** *** ***** specific *******, *** ******** **** ****** concern ** ** ** **** ******** giving ****** ** ****** ********* ** non-profit ********** **** ********* **** ****** decisions.
**** ***** ** **** ********* *** also *********** **** *********.
* ***** **** ******* **** ********* would ** ********** *** ****** ** the ***** ***** ** ***** ** but * ***** ** ***** ** this ********.