WASHINGTON — A plan to outfit all D.C. police patrol officers with body cameras took a step forward Thursday.
The D.C. Council’s Judiciary Committee approved a plan that allows most body camera video that’s recorded in public places — including video of assaults — to be released to the public through Freedom of Information Act requests.
The plan also addresses privacy concerns.
“This bill protects individuals’ privacy rights by exempting from disclosure footage recorded in a private residence, or involving domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking,” said Committee Chairman Kenyan McDuffie.
But the plan would allow Mayor Muriel Bowser to release any body camera video in matters she says are of “significant public interest,” including officer-involved shootings and assaults on officers that are bad enough to send an officer to the hospital.
Also, citizens who are recorded and claim officer wrongdoing would be allowed to view video of themselves at a police station, as long as it doesn’t violate someone else’s privacy rights.
“The bill also builds in safeguards by requiring officers to provide a written justification when recordings are deleted or for a failure to record a required event,” said McDuffie.
“The proposal before the committee today represents the most thorough and expansive body-worn camera guidelines in the nation,” he added.
The full council is scheduled to take its first vote on the plan next month.
