POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
Message from Write‑In Candidate Pat Trevino for DeWitt County Judge
September 11, 2026
As County Judge, my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and ensure that every action taken by county government respects the rights and privacy of the people we serve. Recent independent ALPR mapping indicates that multiple Flock Safety cameras and other license‑plate readers may be operating within DeWitt County. However, no record in Commissioners Court minutes reflects any public discussion, approval, or authorization of these systems.
Transparency in government is not optional. It is a fundamental requirement.
1. Comprehensive Review of Surveillance Technology
I will initiate a full review of all surveillance tools currently in use or previously deployed within DeWitt County. This includes:
- Contracts signed by the Sheriff’s Office
- Agreements with DPS, regional task forces, or other state agencies
- Technology purchases made without Commissioners Court approval
- Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Flock Safety or similar vendors
Every camera, data‑sharing agreement, and surveillance tool must be documented and accounted for.
2. Public Disclosure and Accountability
If surveillance technology is operating in the county, the public has the right to know:
- Who installed the equipment
- Who authorized its deployment
- Who can access collected data
- How long data is stored
- Whether the system was approved in an open meeting
Any technology implemented without public approval raises serious concerns.
3. Protection of Constitutional Rights
Government surveillance must never be implemented quietly or without public debate. Continuous monitoring of citizens is not a routine administrative action — it carries constitutional implications and must be handled with transparency, legal authority, and respect for civil liberties.
4. Restoring Proper Oversight
If surveillance tools were installed without Commissioners Court approval, I will:
- Place the matter on the agenda for open session
- Require a public explanation from the responsible agency
- Review compliance with Texas law and constitutional protections
- Consider halting or removing unauthorized systems
Government institutions must remain accountable to the people they serve.
POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
Ms. Trevino, you (will) find no county records on Flock cameras or surveillance tools because they do not exist. The county government does not participate in the deployment of this technology; and further, has not had any discussion(s) with vendors of this technology; and further, has no interest in the use of this technology. Infringing on the civil liberties of citizens IS NOT a mission of the Commissioners Court.
I have no other motive than to set the record straight and diffuse any distrust that may arise from insinuations to the contrary.
Respectfully yours,
Your comment suggests that my questions are “insinuations” that create distrust. They are not. They are straightforward oversight questions based on documented ALPR activity inside DeWitt County.
The public deserves clarity on one simple point: If the County did not authorize, purchase, discuss, or deploy these cameras, then another agency did. Identifying that agency and its authority is not an insinuation — it is a basic matter of governance.
My role if I were a Judge, and my responsibility, is to follow the documentation wherever it leads: deployment records, vendor contracts, DPS agreements, MOUs, and technology inventories. That is standard procedure in any county when surveillance tools appear without Commissioners Court approval. Your statement confirms that the County has no involvement.
That makes it even more important to determine: who deployed the cameras, under what authority, what data is being collected, and who has access to it.
These questions are not political and they are not accusatory. They are the same questions any responsible official would ask when technology capable of mass‑tracking appears inside a jurisdiction without public authorization.
My only motive is transparency for the people of DeWitt County.
Respectfully,
Pat Treviño
P.S. When I stated that if I were judge I would follow the documentation, it was not a criticism of you or the County. It was simply an explanation of the standard procedure I would utilize, based on my many years of experience in government administration, auditing, and compliance.