Norton, Beyer Federal Police Body Camera Bill Passes House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) announced that their Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act, which would require uniformed federal police officers, including U.S. Capitol Police, to wear body cameras and have dashboard cameras in marked vehicles, passed the House today as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The District of Columbia and Fairfax County both require their uniformed officers to wear body cameras and have dashboard cameras in marked vehicles.
"There is an urgent need for this bill," Norton said. "Capitol Police tried to stop the mob and attack on the Capitol on January 6, but without body cameras, we have been forced to rely on social media streams, cameras in the Capitol, D.C. police body cameras and public reporting to learn what happened. The events at Lafayette Square last year, where U.S. Park Police and other federal police officers forcibly removed peaceful protestors so the President could hold a photo op, is another recent example of why our bill is needed. Body and dashboard cameras have long been used by local police and are appreciated by both officers and the public."
"Body cameras are vital for police transparency and accountability, and in the year 2021 adopting them should be the standard for all federal agencies with uniformed officers," said Rep. Beyer. "The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others show how important it is to be able to quickly establish what happened in incidents of police brutality. The January 6 attack on the Capitol, where MPD Officers had cameras while US Capitol Police did not, also illustrates how valuable body camera footage can be in assisting officers in their duty to uphold the law and protect the public. It remains our hope that establishing this standard for all federal law enforcement will help improve trust in the communities patrolled by federal officers and help prevent tragedies like the 2017 killing of Bijan Ghaisar by U.S. Park Police."
Norton and Beyer originally introduced their bill following the November 2017 fatal shooting of unarmed 25-year-old Bijan Ghaisar by U.S. Park Police. Ghaisar was fatally shot in his car by Park Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, after he fled a car crash in the District and was pursued by officers down George Washington Parkway. Footage of the shooting was released by the Fairfax County Police Department, which captured it on a cruiser's dashboard camera. Without that footage, Ghaisar's family and the public would have had no access to the circumstances surrounding Ghaisar's death.
Last Congress, the House passed the Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
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