Body and Car Cameras for Federal Officers: Increased Transparency and Accountability
This new act mandates federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and equip patrol vehicles with in-car cameras. This aims to enhance transparency, provide evidence, and allow citizens access to recordings, potentially increasing public trust and accountability of federal agencies.
Key points
All federal law enforcement officers must wear body cameras, recording both video and audio during interactions.
Federal patrol vehicles will be equipped with in-car cameras to record activities inside and outside the vehicle.
Citizens will be notified of recording and can request cameras be turned off in specific situations (e.g., private residence, crime victim, anonymous reporter).
Recordings will be retained for 6 months, or at least 3 years in cases of use of force or citizen complaints.
Citizens will have the right to inspect footage, and in some cases, request public disclosure, with privacy protections.
The act prohibits the use of facial recognition and other biometric surveillance technologies in these cameras.
Failure to comply with recording rules or tampering with footage can lead to disciplinary action and evidentiary presumptions in favor of criminal defendants or civil plaintiffs.
Introduced
Citizen Poll