Bill Text: NJ AR93 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to enact legislation requiring law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [AR93 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR93-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to enact legislation requiring law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging Congress to enact legislation requiring law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras.
Whereas, It is vital for local law enforcement officers and the communities they protect to have strong, collaborative relationships; and
Whereas, Trust between law enforcement agencies and the citizens they serve is essential to the stability of communities, the integrity of the criminal justice system, and the safe and effective delivery of policing services; and
Whereas, An increasing number of law enforcement agencies are utilizing body cameras, a new form of technology that significantly affects the field of policing; and
Whereas, The use of body cameras by all law enforcement agencies would assist in preventing and resolving complaints brought by members of the public against law enforcement officers; strengthening law enforcement transparency, performance, and accountability; and documenting evidence; and
Whereas, Having video footage of encounters between law enforcement officers and the public would lead to more civil interactions; and
Whereas, Video footage also would discourage citizens from filing unfounded complaints against officers, which can save law enforcement agencies a significant amount of time and money that would otherwise be spent on lengthy investigations and lawsuits; and
Whereas, In addition, by providing a video record of law enforcement activity, body cameras would make the operations of law enforcement officers more transparent to the public; and
Whereas, Body cameras also would assist law enforcement agencies in identifying and correcting problems within the department by using footage from the cameras to provide scenario-based training, evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and identify new areas in which training is needed; and
Whereas, Further, body cameras would significantly improve the ability of law enforcement officers to capture evidence for use in investigations and court proceedings; and
Whereas, As body cameras provide many benefits to law enforcement agencies and the public, Congress is urged to enact legislation requiring all federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras; now, therefore,
Be It
Resolved by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to enact legislation requiring all federal, state, and local law enforcement
officers to be equipped with body cameras.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Resolution urges Congress to enact legislation requiring all federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras.
Trust between law enforcement agencies and the citizens they serve is essential to the stability of communities, the integrity of the criminal justice system, and the safe and effective delivery of policing services.
An increasing number of law enforcement agencies are utilizing body cameras, a new form of technology that significantly affects the field of policing. The use of body cameras by all law enforcement agencies would assist in preventing and resolving complaints brought by members of the public against law enforcement officers; strengthening law enforcement transparency, performance, and accountability; and documenting evidence.
Having video footage of encounters between law enforcement officers and the public would lead to more civil interactions and would discourage citizens from filing unfounded complaints against officers.
In addition, by providing a video record of law enforcement activity, body cameras would make the operations of law enforcement officers more transparent to the public. Body cameras also would assist law enforcement agencies in identifying and correcting problems within the department by using footage from the cameras to provide scenario-based training, evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and identify new areas in which training is needed.
Finally, body cameras would significantly improve the ability of law enforcement officers to capture evidence for use in investigations and court-proceedings.
As body cameras provide many benefits to law enforcement agencies and the public, Congress is urged to enact legislation requiring all federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to be equipped with body cameras.
