[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 19, 2019)]
[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.

                          ____________________