Junction City council delays license-plate reader decision until spring
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13 August 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]
The Junction City Council voted unanimously on August 11, 2026, to delay a decision on installing license-plate reader cameras. The vote postponed action on a police proposal to begin a 90-day no-cost trial of eight pole-mounted Flock Safety readers. The matter will be referred to the city's budget committee, which consists of seven citizen members plus the mayor and city councilors, for consideration at a spring meeting. City Councilor Ken Hancock stated the council needed to ensure community support before committing to the technology and its costs.
Junction City police had proposed the trial cameras, with projected costs of approximately $3,000 per camera annually once the trial period ended. Councilors expressed concern that expenses had not been included in the city's current fiscal year budget, which began July 1. The decision follows similar action in nearby Eugene and Springfield, where police departments paused Flock contracts in December 2025 after public opposition and concerns about data security. Both Eugene and Springfield police announced they were ending agreements with Flock Safety. Junction City Police Chief Mark Waddell has advocated for the cameras, noting the city already uses mounted readers provided by Axon on patrol vehicles.
Community members who spoke at council meetings expressed opposition to the technology. Council President Karen Leach, who previously supported the proposal, voiced concerns about Flock Safety specifically, acknowledging that privacy and data security concerns about the company were warranted. The budget committee's spring review will determine whether the city moves forward with any camera installation.
Residents can track their own city's license-plate reader contracts by checking council agendas, budget committee meeting minutes, and public records requests for police technology purchase proposals and vendor agreements.
Read the original reporting: Lookout Eugene-Springfield.
Related record: Eugene, Oregon in the jurisdictions directory.