INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL POLICE CAMERA AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 103
(Extensions of Remarks - June 19, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E798-E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL POLICE CAMERA AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF
2019
______
HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
of the district of columbia
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, Representative Donald S. Beyer, Jr.
and I introduced the Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act of
2019. This bill would require uniformed federal law enforcement
officers to wear body cameras and marked police vehicles to have
dashboard cameras. It would also require the Government Accountability
Office to conduct a study on federal police officers' training, vehicle
pursuits, use of force and interaction with citizens.
On November 17, 2017, Bijan Ghaisar was fatally shot in his car by
uniformed U.S. Park Police officers in Fairfax County, Virginia; after
a vehicle pursuit on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Video of
this shooting only became available through a camera in a Fairfax
County Police Department patrol car that was providing backup. Had it
not been for that footage, which was recorded and released by that
local police department, the public would not have had access to the
circumstances surrounding Mr. Ghaisar's death. Moreover, the footage
revealed concerns about the Park Police's pursuit and engagement
policies.
Body-worn and dashboard cameras for federal law enforcement officers
are particularly important for the officers stationed in the nation's
capital, where Park Police and the uniformed division of the U.S.
Secret Service have full local police powers. Many other federal police
also have local police powers near their respective agency buildings in
the District of Columbia. Cameras can increase transparency for
individual interactions with police, strengthen public trust and even
deter future criminal behavior. For example, when criminals know that
they are being recorded by a dashboard camera, they may be less likely
to flee the scene of a traffic accident because
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they realize that their license plate will be documented. Criminals may
also be less likely to batter an officer because the recording may be
used as evidence. On the other hand, officers will also be less likely
to commit offenses for the same reason. Body-worn and dashboard cameras
can also be used to train current and future officers more effectively
in best and worst practices.
An increasing number of local law enforcement officers, including
Metropolitan Police Department officers in the District, are wearing
body cameras and using dashboard cameras. It is clear that both law
enforcement and the public would benefit from federal officers
following suit to increase transparency and maintain public trust.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
____________________