City installs 13 safety cameras in downtown Bend

(Update: Adding camera locations, cost)

The city of Bend said Tuesday it is installing 13 safety cameras downtown this week, one piece of a multi-faceted plan to make downtown feel safer and more inviting, in response to feedback from the public and downtown businesses.

Some of the other incremental improvements in the downtown safety strategy include removing garbage enclosures in the south Mirror Pond parking lot, increasing police foot patrols, improving lighting in the parking garage and adding a new police substation on Oregon Avenue next to the parking garage.

“The downtown safety camera project is part of a larger plan to improve safety in downtown Bend,” police Lt. Jason Maniscalco said in a news release. “This is a collaborative effort between business owners and many departments within the city of Bend.”

Thirteen cameras are being installed, for a contracted cost of about $54,000, including antennas, receivers, a license and servers, city officials said.

Maniscalco said the process of installing and preparing the cameras could take a few weeks to complete. He gave their genera locations as:

There are cameras on buildings along the west side of Wall St. focusing on Mirror Pond South, the east end of Drake Park, Crows Feet Commons area, as well as the area of NW Wall St. and Minnesota Ave. There are two cameras in the breezeway. There are cameras overlooking the intersections of NW Wall and NW Oregon. Cameras were installed at the intersection of NW Bond and NW Oregon Ave to capture the intersection. Cameras were also installed in the parking garage to capture the top level and more of NW Bond and NW Minnesota. There is also a camera in the entryway for the parking garage off Minnesota Ave.

City staff will be trained on how to use the cameras and how to store and retrieve the footage. Police can use the feed for investigations.

“Addressing safety downtown has been a team effort for the city, downtown building owners and the Downtown Bend Business Association,” said Bend Business Advocate Ben Hemson.

“There isn’t a single solution to confronting these issues, but if all of us who live, work, play and own property in the area continue to work together, we can improve safety and maintain the qualities that keep downtown Bend unique.”