House Democrat to introduce bill requiring Capitol Police to use body cameras

Rep. Greg Stanton plans to introduce a bill that will mandate that Capitol Police officers use body cameras, part of the legislative response after pro-Trump rioters raided the Capitol last week.

The Arizona Democrat announced he will unveil this week a bill that will require all uniformed and on-duty officers to use body-worn cameras as investigators piece together cellphone and surveillance footage to fill in what happened at the Capitol last week.

“For the safety of our Capitol Police officers, the public and everyone who works in the Capitol complex, it’s imperative that officers utilize body-worn cameras while on duty,” Stanton said in a statement. 

“Last week’s armed insurrection against our government and breach of the United States Capitol building stunned the world, and we have a lot to learn about what went wrong,” the representative continued. “But I’m certain that the investigation — and the process to hold those responsible to account — would be much more thorough if aided by footage from body cameras.”

Law enforcement and members of Congress are still uncovering the details of the events at the Capitol on Wednesday after Trump supporters overtook security and stormed the building in an effort to keep lawmakers from affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

President Trump had requested his supporters flock to D.C. in a show of support against the certification and, during a speech to protesters, he encouraged them to march on the Capitol.

“You’ll never take back our country with weakness,” he said. “You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated.”

The riot resulted in at least five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer and a woman shot by a different officer. 

Capitol Police chief Steven Sund, House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger have all resigned after the raid. 

Sund told The Washington Post in an interview published Sunday that House and Senate security officials, including Irving and Stenger, hindered multiple efforts before and during the raid to call in National Guard support.

In his release, Stanton noted that he introduced legislation during the previous Congress to require body-worn cameras as a prerequisite for COPS grants.