Review essential product updates and features introduced in the previous quarter. Catch up on the latest releases with powerful innovations designed to help you work faster, smarter and safer.
What's new: Quarterly recap
Q3 2026
Q3 highlights: Key updates & feature releases you may have missed
These enhancements are designed to improve system performance, streamline daily workflows and save valuable time.
CommandCentral Admin
September 2026 release
The 2026 third quarter updates to CommandCentral Admin introduce six new capabilities centered on elevating system visibility, tightening administrative controls and enforcing organization-wide security. By delivering at-a-glance dashboard insights, AI-driven permission tracking and customizable security policies across all Unified ID applications, administrators can drastically reduce manual menu navigation while ensuring strict CJIS and NIST compliance. These updates give agencies more control over network boundaries, login messaging and user access—helping ensure a safer, cleaner and more efficient administrative workspace.
Key updates include:
- At-a-glance Admin Dashboard: Agency administrators can assign role-specific widgets directly to user dashboards upon login, keeping your team focused exclusively on the data and workflows relevant to their specific role.
- Increased visibility with AI Summaries: Administrators can quickly view all permissions granted to a user, group or role via an AI Summary icon, eliminating the need to dig through complex permission menus to verify access.
- Custom password policies: Enforce high-security standards across all Unified ID products by selecting between predefined Standard (NIST 80-53) or Enhanced (CJIS) password policies for verified domains.
- Simplified Verified Domains: Easily register and confirm domain ownership using DNS TXT records, unlocking foundational security features like password policies, login notifications and IP restrictions.
Read the blog for more information.
Flex
September 2026 release
The 2026.2 updates to Flex focus on modernizing the platform's infrastructure while empowering teams with smarter, more flexible workflows across CAD, GIS, Records and Jail. By upgrading core database architecture and introducing hybrid applications, agencies can future-proof operations, deploy advanced AI tools sooner and reduce daily operational friction—allowing your team to spend less time managing software and more time serving their communities.
Other key updates include:
- Simplified CAD incident management: Dispatchers can now seamlessly merge and unmerge active CAD incidents, cleanly consolidating duplicate calls without losing critical data, involved persons or incident history.
- Cost-effective GIS mapping and road closures: You can now manage temporary road closures directly within the Flex database—eliminating the need for complex ArcGIS Server setups—and leverage Esri's ArcGIS StreetMap Premium without needing dedicated GIS resources.
- Frictionless access to AI in Records: Rather than forcing a transition to a completely new Records UI, Flex introduces a hybrid companion application that bridges established Records workflows with powerful new tools like Narrative Assist and Multi-Agency Search.
- Future-ready infrastructure: Agencies can gain long-term system stability and performance through Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 support, a user-friendly Clone Database tool for easily creating practice environments as well as an ongoing migration to the high-performance PostgreSQL database.
Read the blog for more information.
APX radios
New APX smart application: SmartEvidence
The launch of SmartEvidence for APX NEXT and APX N70 radios bridges the gap between land mobile radio (LMR) communications and digital evidence management. This smart application helps eliminate evidentiary gaps while automating evidence collection to dramatically reduce administrative workloads for evidence technicians. By delivering LMR audio synchronized side-by-side with body camera timelines in CommandCentral DEMS, agencies gain a complete 360-degree view of every incident for faster, court-ready case building.
Important updates include:
- Direct high-fidelity audio capture: Record, transmit and receive audio directly on the APX radio across both LMR Trunking and Conventional channels, preserving crisp recordings unaffected by over-the-air signal degradation.
- Automated metadata & 360° case context: Capture critical contextual metadata alongside audio—including PTT actions, exact GPS coordinates, radio performance statistics and emergency button triggers.
- Flexible recording triggers & buffering: Configure continuous shift-long recording or set event-driven triggers based on CAD incident assignments, radio emergency alerts or SVX body camera activations, complete with customizable pre- and post-event buffer windows.
ASTRO Subscriber Release 2026.2
The 2026.2 feature release across APX N Line, standard portable and mobile radios focuses on expanding network resilience, integrating field audio with digital evidence management and giving agencies greater control over emergency signaling. By combining redundant cellular access, automated LMR audio capture and flexible device configuration, your agency can reduce administrative maintenance while making sure teams stay connected and protected in high-stakes environments.
Some key updates include:
- Redundant cellular access (Dual SIM Dual Standby)
- Direct evidence capture (SmartEvidence)
- Upgraded field intelligence (SmartVideo, SmartIncident & ViQi)
- Simplified fleet administration (Multi-codeplug support)
- Customized emergency and alert controls
APX NEXT XN
The APX NEXT XN 4G LTE + 5G radio brings next-generation connectivity and certified safety standards specifically tailored for fire and rescue personnel. By upgrading to meet the expanded NFPA 1930 standard and incorporating 5G, dual SIM and satellite capabilities, fire departments can help ensure extreme environmental durability, expanded coverage in dead zones and real-time safety feedback when operating in hazardous situations.
Key enhancements include:
- NFPA 1930 safety certification: Meets the expanded fire safety standard with enhanced minimum volume levels, visual antenna failure indicators, and new automated voice announcements for battery status and antenna failures.
- Next-generation 4G LTE & 5G standalone: Delivers high-speed, future-proof broadband connectivity for mission-critical communications in the harshest environments.
- eSIM & Dual SIM capabilities: Allows fire crews to utilize two different cellular carriers on a single device to maintain redundant network access.
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity: Integrates built-in LEO satellite communication support to keep teams connected even in remote, zero-cellular areas.
- Comprehensive incident logging: Automatically captures persistent logs for NFPA compliance, Bluetooth device connections and rejected PTT attempts for more precise post-incident reviews.
Read the blog for more information.
Avtec Scout dispatch console
Version 6.0
Avtec Scout 6.0 delivers expanded radio control, enhanced audio clarity and streamlined administrative deployment for dispatchers and system maintainers. By introducing deeper integration with ASTRO conventional networks, tightening security across enterprise telephony interfaces and simplifying software installations, command centers can operate with higher signal precision, improved system resilience and reduced IT maintenance overhead.
Key features include:
- Expanded ASTRO radio control: Advanced feature support for the ASTRO conventional interface via GRV 8000 provides deeper functional control and seamless connectivity across conventional channels.
- Superior audio precision: Enhanced audio filtering and MDC signal precision help ensure cleaner voice transmissions and accurate signaling during critical dispatch operations.
- Fortified telephony security: Qualified Mutual TLS (mTLS) integration with Cisco Unified Call Manager and Avaya Aura secures telephony connections to meet strict enterprise compliance standards.
- Streamlined administration & setup: Automated Instant Recall Recorder (IRR) defaults, modern WiX-based installers and expanded server component upgrades via ScoutCare Plus significantly accelerate deployment and simplify system maintenance.
- Peripheral audio protection: Minimum volume settings for Avtec USB peripherals prevent accidental muting, helping dispatchers avoid missing vital incoming audio.
Read the blog for more information.
CommandCentral AXS
July 2026 release
CommandCentral AXS 3.7 improves the startup experience for both the console hardware and software application. Built directly on user feedback, these updates drastically speed up dispatch workflows by automating routine logins, re-establishing patches, and securing configurations so your dispatchers can focus entirely on critical communications.
Highlights of this release include:
- Single sign-on (SSO): The console now supports automatic login via your domain credentials when connected to the ASTRO domain, getting your telecommunicators ready faster.
- Automated startup & patching: Following a system reboot, the dispatch application can automatically sign into Windows, load your preferred UI configuration, and instantly establish predetermined radio patches.
- Duplex patch: Enable radio users to hear summed audio from two transmitting radios at once, compatible with conventional analog or MDC 1200 channels.
- Reduced-error dispatching: Administrators can quickly switch between Dispatch and Admin modes using "Exit mode" and disable 'Edit' mode to prevent dispatchers from accidentally altering their interface during active operations.
Read the blog for more information.
10-21 Police Phone
July 2026 release
The most recent update introduces the new 10-21 Assist tier, expanding 10-21 Police Phone from a secure calling application into an AI-powered field intelligence hub. By turning everyday phone conversations into actionable, searchable records that integrate directly into your digital evidence ecosystem, agencies can reduce phone tag, bridge language barriers in real time and significantly decrease post-call administrative overhead.
Key updates include:
- Secure inbound citizen calling (Officer Connect): Citizens can now initiate direct calls back to an officer's 10-21 app without exposing the officer's personal number, while officers maintain control over their shift availability via a simple on/off toggle.
- Real-time audio translation (Translation Assist): Conduct live, two-way multilingual conversations where both the officer and caller speak and hear in their native languages, resolving incidents faster without relying on third-party interpreters.
- AI-powered call transcription (Assist Call Intelligence): Automatically convert raw call audio into accurate, time-stamped text transcripts to eliminate manual note-taking and accelerate incident report writing.
- Seamless digital evidence integration: Call recordings and transcripts flow directly into CommandCentral DEMS, leveraging automated metadata tagging to correlate call data with case collections for fast retrieval.
Read the blog for more information.
CommandCentral DEMS
July 2026 release
The Q3 2026 updates for CommandCentral DEMS bring significant advances in evidence security, sharing flexibility and automated field capture. By providing refined access controls for restricted content, enabling secure package forwarding and integrating automated hardware triggers like holster sensors, these capabilities cut down administrative overhead while making sure sensitive digital evidence remains secure, audit-ready and easily accessible.
Important updates include:
- Archived evidence support: Restore full access to archived digital evidence pushed from VideoManager EL within 15 hours, preserving storage efficiency while guaranteeing access when assets need reactivation.
- Granular data permissions: Enhance evidence protection by splitting 'View All' permissions into separate access rights for restricted and non-restricted content.
- Streamlined package resharing: Enable package recipients to securely forward full evidence packages via email with optional password protection, simplifying multi-agency collaboration.
- Custom tag management: Organize digital evidence more effectively by creating custom tag categories that support single or multiple tag assignments.
- Automated SVX holster triggers: Assure that critical events are recorded automatically by pairing SVX body cameras with holster or taser sensors to start recording whenever a weapon is drawn.
Read the blog for more information.
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Q2 2026
What's new in Q2: Important updates you might have missed
These updates are designed to save your agency time, enhance system performance and improve your daily workflows.
CommandCentral DEMS
May 2026 release
This most recent update provides a more intuitive and secure way to manage your digital evidence. By simplifying how you organize collections and giving you granular control over data access, you can maintain a cleaner, more efficient workspace. These improvements ensure that your team can focus on what matters most—reviewing and preparing critical evidence—while feeling confident that sensitive information remains secure.
- Streamlined workspaces: Manage your collections easily with drag-and-drop organization and simple folder removal, helping you stay clutter-free and focused.
- Automated security: Protect your data by leveraging automatic inheritance of "Sealed" status from RMS, ensuring restricted access is applied instantly for authorized users.
- Granular data control: Tailor access levels with expanded role permissions, giving you the flexibility to manage restricted and non-restricted content independently.
- Precise evidence communication: Use custom highlight masks in Redaction Assist to clearly draw attention to critical details, maintaining clarity without needing to obscure original information.
April 2026 release
In April 2026, CommandCentral DEMS introduced a more intelligent, frictionless approach to digital evidence management by delivering advanced automation and smarter workflows. Designed to reduce administrative overhead, these updates allow public safety teams to maintain comprehensive case files with greater speed and efficiency, helping ensure that critical information is always readily accessible when it matters most.
Key updates include:
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Efficient collection building: Save time by adding existing evidence directly to a collection without leaving your current workspace, using instant search by evidence name, device name or capture source.
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AI-powered redaction translation: Improve your ability to identify sensitive audio or text by directly translating transcriptions into your configured language within the Redaction Assist tool.
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Automated organization: Simplify your evidence upload process with CAD mapping and auto-tagging, which automatically appends metadata—such as incident numbers and categories—to streamline retention and disclosure workflows.
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Advanced search filtering: Quickly locate the specific evidence you need by narrowing search results based on access permissions and sensitivity levels.
Read the blog for more information.
Flex
Version 2026.2
The 2026.2 updates to Flex focus on modernizing the platform's infrastructure while empowering users with smarter, more flexible workflows across the platform, including CAD, GIS, Records and Jail. By upgrading underlying databases and introducing hybrid applications, your agency can help future-proof operations, integrate advanced AI tools sooner and even reduce the complexity of daily tasks—helping to ensure teams spend less time managing software and more time responding to the community.
Key updates include:
- Simplified incident management: Dispatchers can now seamlessly merge and unmerge active CAD incidents, cleanly consolidating duplicate calls without losing critical data, involved persons or history.
- Cost-effective mapping and closures: Manage temporary road closures directly within the Flex database and leverage Esri's ArcGIS StreetMap Premium even without having dedicated GIS resources.
- Moving away from new Records UI: We are shifting our focus away from a new Records UI and instead are introducing a hybrid companion application to help bridge your current Records workflow with the latest features, including Narrative Assist and Multi-Agency Search.
- Future-ready platform: Flex is now supported on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. We’re also introducing a user-friendly Clone Database tool for easily creating practice environments as well as continuing the transition to the faster, more secure PostgreSQL database.
Version 2026.1
The latest updates to Flex are centered on delivering a more responsive, efficient and integrated experience for your public safety agency. By leveraging a high-performance database foundation, the platform now provides drastically faster search speeds and quicker system startup times, allowing teams to dedicate more focus to mission-critical operations.
Beyond performance gains, these enhancements prioritize productivity across the entire suite. Officers can now utilize AI-powered narrative assistance to generate high-quality incident reports, while dispatch and correctional staff benefit from streamlined workflows—such as intuitive barcode scanning for jail operations and faster map loading for dispatch. With the addition of seamless Single Sign-On and expanded state database connectivity, Flex creates a more unified, accessible environment that accelerates investigations and simplifies daily administrative tasks.
Other key updates include:
- Lightning-fast searches: PostgreSQL transition provides 33x faster searches, 2-minute startup times and improved stability.
- AI-powered report writing: Narrative Assist helps officers draft high-quality narratives by correcting grammar, refining structure, and synthesizing evidence.
- Streamlined CAD workflows: Dispatchers benefit from faster map load times, map filtering by agency/zone, and automated alerts for relevant persons/vehicles.
Read the blog for more information.
VideoManager EX
Release 26.2
This latest release focuses on elevating operational efficiency and security for VideoManager EX users, particularly for those managing complex evidence ecosystems. By introducing advanced authentication protocols like SAML 2.0 and enabling larger file imports, the update is engineered to support more seamless administrative control and expanded data collection capabilities.
- Advanced authentication (SAML 2.0): Enhances system security and simplifies access management for administrators, ensuring a more secure and streamlined login process across the organization.
- Expanded file imports: Supports the ingestion of larger files, allowing for more comprehensive data collection without system constraints.
- Tactical video wall audio toggling: Provides direct, intuitive control over audio during video monitoring, reducing manual navigation and saving valuable time for investigators.
- Improved device visibility tools: Offers better oversight of connected hardware, enabling teams to manage their evidence ecosystems with greater accuracy and efficiency.
Beyond these infrastructure improvements, the release prioritizes investigator productivity through intuitive enhancements. These updates ensure that teams spend less time navigating system logistics and more time focused on critical evidence, providing a more robust and responsive management experience across the board.
Read the blog for more information.
APX radios
2026.1 Baseline release for ASTRO Subscriber
Our latest firmware release for the APX N Line, alongside our standard portable and mobile radios, introduces key upgrades to help your team stay informed and connected. Stay mission-ready with the 2026.1 release, which helps ensure your fleet is operating on the latest software, including critical enhancements from the 2025 releases. Highlights of this update include:
- Real-time signal monitoring: You can now view RSSI dBM signal strength directly on the device's top display, allowing for faster troubleshooting and better awareness of connectivity status.
- Simultaneous voice and data: With the latest SmartConnect enhancements, your radios can handle data transmission and voice calls at the same time, helping to minimize interruptions to critical communications.
- Streamlined messaging compliance: We’ve integrated SmartMessaging directly with the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity (CCCS), simplifying how you manage secure communications.
Smart applications to transform field operations
We also introduced new intelligent tools for APX NEXT and APX N70 users, specifically engineered to reduce administrative burdens and help responders manage language barriers without compromising safety.
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Instant access to policy expertise: Instead of searching through physical binders or waiting on dispatch for answers, your team can use SmartQuery. By leveraging the ViQi button, responders can securely access agency procedures through a voice-activated gateway, keeping radio channels clear for emergency traffic.
- Hands-free language support: SmartTranslate shifts the focus back to the scene by enabling real-time, audible translation. Because this feature is fully hands-free, officers can engage with community members or individuals on the scene while maintaining safe tactical separation and keeping their eyes up and alert.
Read the blog for more information.
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