Clackamas County DA’s Office Seeks Funding for Innovative AI Tools

Key Takeaways

Clackamas County will vote on April 9, 2026, to approve a $2 million AI contract with Axon for evidence analysis in the District Attorney’s Office.
The new AI system, “Justice Premier Plus,” aims to enhance evidence processing but faces scrutiny from legal professionals regarding its reliability.
Concerns persist about AI’s role in legal decision-making, with some jurisdictions, like King County, rejecting AI-generated police reports.

Contract Proposal for AI Integration in Clackamas County DA’s Office

The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on April 9, 2026, regarding a contract with Axon, the manufacturer of Taser and body camera technology. This proposed 10-year, $2 million agreement aims to integrate artificial intelligence into the District Attorney’s Office for evidence analysis. Listed on the consent agenda, there will be no discussion before the vote.

The current proposal enhances an agreement established two years ago, which was worth $650,000 for the initial version of Axon’s services, called Axon Justice Premier. The new package, known as Justice Premier Plus, is expected to improve the office’s ability to analyze evidence, with quarterly updates designed to enhance capabilities. However, specifics on how this AI program differs from previous offerings have not been clarified by the DA’s office.

Critics of Axon’s products include defense attorneys and civil rights advocates. A notable concern involves another AI tool by the company, called Draft One, which generates police reports based on body camera footage. Some law enforcement agencies, such as the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Washington, have rejected AI-generated reports due to significant error rates and a lack of oversight on corrections made by officers.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has also mentioned having access to Draft One but is currently choosing not to use it. Meanwhile, Axon is promoting its new technology extensively, presenting it as capable of transcribing footage and summarizing key evidence efficiently.

While the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is still assessing the implications of Justice Premier Plus, Deputy Chief Daniel Clark has expressed that AI may offer benefits in identifying evidence without compromising oversight—as long as AI doesn’t make judgement calls on legal matters. Clark is weighing the potential benefits of AI for sifting through video footage against the risks of AI assuming roles traditionally handled by human prosecutors.

Notably, some jurisdictions have instated bans on using generative AI in legal contexts. Clark emphasized the profound consequences of AI in criminal justice, advising that any such applications must be approached with extreme caution, given the potential for disproportionate impacts on individuals involved in legal proceedings.

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