[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   INTRODUCTION OF POLICE CAMERA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 4, 2017

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Police 
Creating Accountability by Making Effective Recording Act, also known 
as the Police CAMERA Act, a bill I introduced earlier today with more 
than a dozen of my colleagues here in the House and in coordination 
with Senators Brian Schatz and Rand Paul who introduced the bill today 
in the Senate. If enacted, this bill would establish a grant program to 
assist state and local law enforcement with the deployment of body-worn 
camera programs.
  Safe communities require good police.
  Good policing requires public trust.
  Unfortunately, in far too many communities, that trust has become 
strained.
  In the wake of recent police shootings, our nation is facing sobering 
questions about the basic fairness of our criminal justice system. We 
face sobering questions about race.
  Over the past several years, the wider availability of video has 
shined a much-needed light on police use of deadly force. Without video 
of places like North Charleston, Staten Island, Chicago, Cleveland, 
Baton Rouge, Tulsa and Falcon Heights, Minnesota the world might never 
know what occurred.
  The more we see of these types of videos, the more we are left to 
wonder about all the incidents that were not recorded.
  Had there been better video of the shooting of Darrius Stewart in my 
home town of Memphis, it might have helped to better inform the grand 
jury that, sadly, refused to indict the police officer who was 
responsible.
  Justice is supposed to be blind, but it is not supposed to be blind 
to the facts.
  Police body cameras can help provide evidence and restore some much-
needed trust.
  They can protect both police and citizens alike.
  The vast majority of police are well meaning, dedicated public 
servants, and we depend upon them to keep us safe from criminals. They 
have dangerous jobs, as we have seen all too frequently.
  But the fact remains some officers go beyond the law in a callous 
disregard for due process. Their actions damage the public trust that 
is essential for good police to be able to serve and protect our 
communities.
  Police body cameras, alone, won't solve this problem. But they are an 
important step in the right direction.
  I would like to thank Senators Schatz and Paul for their leadership 
on this issue and for partnering with me on this legislation.
  I also thank my colleagues who have signed on as cosponsors of this 
legislation and I urge all Members to help pass the Police CAMERA Act 
quickly.

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