Bend Ran License-Plate Cameras for Six Months Before Residents Got a Say

Around July 2025, the City of Bend put up four Flock license-plate reader cameras, two on the north end of town and two on the south end. The contract cost about $20,000 a year, and it didn't need a City Council vote.

Most people in Bend didn't get a say until January 7, 2026, when residents packed the council chambers to object. They asked the questions that should have been answered before the first camera went up: How long is the data kept? Who can see it? What happens if it's hacked or misused? Councilor Ariel Méndez raised serious concerns about the company's security practices.

The council listened, and that part deserves credit. The next afternoon the cameras were turned off. The contract won't be renewed, and the cameras are coming down.

The problem is the order things happened in

For about six months, cameras recorded where Bend drivers went before the public had any of those answers. Data about where residents drive belongs to the people of this city, and they should hear the plan before it starts, not after.

Why this matters for the Clerk's office

The County Clerk keeps some of the most personal records in the county: voter files, property records and marriage licenses. I'm running on secure, transparent elections and clear, responsive communication with residents. To me that means people hear what is being done with their information and why before a decision is made, not after it's already done.

If you've had trouble getting a straight answer from the county, I want to hear about it: tell me what happened.

Source: KTVZ, January 8, 2026.

— Jonathan Curtis, candidate for Deschutes County Clerk

Learn more: jonathancurtis2026.netlify.app

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