A public comment on police technology, public safety, and accountability.
This video shows my public comment to Bend City Council regarding two connected concerns: the proposed expansion of Axon police technology and the police response after a bullet was fired into my mother’s apartment.
My concern is not only whether new policing tools are useful. It is whether the City has strong enough oversight, transparency, auditing, data protections, and accountability in place before expanding police technology contracts.
The same public safety system that asks residents to trust expanded technology must also be able to respond clearly, urgently, and accountably when a bullet enters someone’s home. That experience shaped why I believe Bend should slow down, ask harder questions, and build stronger safeguards before expanding surveillance or police technology systems.
Why this matters
Police technology decisions are not just purchasing decisions. They shape how public safety works, how data is collected, how evidence is handled, and how residents are asked to trust government systems.
Before expanding Axon or any similar system, Bend should have clear answers about:
- What data will be collected;
- Who can access it;
- How long it will be retained;
- How searches and usage will be audited;
- How errors, misuse, or weak responses will be reviewed; and
- How residents will know whether these systems are actually improving safety.
Technology can support public safety, but it cannot replace accountability. In fact, the more powerful the technology becomes, the stronger the oversight needs to be.
Watch the public comment here:
Speaking to Bend City Council about Axon expansion and police accountability