Supporting Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to stand in the well of the House and have an opportunity to advocate on behalf of the constituents of the Ninth Congressional District. Today is no exception.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here in support of bipartisan legislation, legislation that encourages law enforcement to use body cameras. This legislation is legislation that I am proud to say has received a good deal of support and a good deal of consideration and deliberation.

I would like to thank the Speaker of the House, Mr. Boehner, for his assistance in bringing this legislation forward. Of course, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi must be given kudos as well. I thank her for allowing the legislation to come forward and assisting.

The Democratic whip, Mr. Hoyer, I want to thank him because we had a conversation concerning this legislation. Of course, the chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, the Honorable Bob Goodlatte, he and I have had an opportunity to talk through this legislation, and I am eternally grateful for the consideration that you have given, sir, and I thank you.

I also would like to thank the dean of the House of Representatives, the Honorable John Conyers. He has been here on so many occasions when legislation that is exceedingly important has been passed upon and has been a voice, a voice on all of these issues through the years. I am proud to say that I had an opportunity to speak to him about this legislation.

Of course, I want to thank Mr. Ted Poe of Texas. He and I came to Congress together, and we worked together. This is a piece of legislation that he was the first to sign onto, H. Res. 295.

Mr. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, he and I have worked together to shepherd this from the very beginning, and he is still a part of it. He is not here tonight, but he is with us on this legislation. I am proud to say he is a friend, and he has been a partner throughout the effort to bring this legislation to the floor of the House.

Mr. Luetkemeyer, he has been a friend in this; Mr. Clay of Missouri; Mr. Yoder of Kansas; and, of course, Ms. Clarke of New York--all friends and all supportive of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution, as has been indicated, is the beginning. I don't see it as the end of a process. I see it as more of a preamble with the Constitution to follow. I see it as a lawyer might see an opening statement with the closing statement yet to come.

Of course, as a Christian, I see it as a part of Genesis, with many revelations yet to come. It is a good first step, and it is a good step in the right direction. I don't see it as the end of the process, but I do want to commend and thank those who have helped us to get to this point.

I would cite now, if I may, a Justice Department report. This report styled ``Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras'' found that body-worn cameras increased transparency. People have the opportunity to see what actually took place. It makes a difference because this will increase police legitimacy.

Officers don't have to get into disputes about what actually occurred. The empirical evidence is there by way of the camera's eye.

It will improve citizen and police behavior. Once the camera is on and once people know that it is on--that is both citizens and police officers--their behavior tends to be adjusted such that we get better results.

It will improve effective prosecution. This is evidence that can be introduced into court. When it is introduced, it can help effectuate positive results.

Another study, a study from the University of Cambridge, its Institute of Criminology, after a 12-month study, found a 50 percent reduction in the use of force as a result of body cameras, a 50 percent reduction in use of force, a 90 percent reduction in complaints against police officers as a result of body cameras being utilized.

Of course, there is a final study that I will cite in Rialto, California. This report from Rialto, California, indicates that, after 1 year of use of body cameras, there was a 60 percent reduction in the use of force and an 88 percent reduction in complaints against police officers.

The evidence is in. It is clear that these body cameras do provide an opportunity for us to have the transparency we need, for us to provide legitimacy for both police officers and citizenry but, more importantly, to reduce the complaints that we see emanating from scenes that are disputed.

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Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, we see a reduction in complaints. As we view the many incidents that have occurred around the country, there is no question that there is a divide. I believe that these body cameras can span the chasm across the divide and make a difference in the perception that we have in the way our police and our communities interact with each other.

I am proud to be a sponsor, and I am proud to have the cosponsors that we have. I am proud that the chairperson of the Judiciary Committee has signed onto this and that the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee is on board.

I want to thank my colleague from Houston, Texas, the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, who has served on the Judiciary Committee for many, many years, and I am most appreciative that she, too, finds favor with this piece of legislation. I am honored that she is on the floor tonight to shepherd it through, and I pray that my colleagues all will support what I believe to be a piece of legislation that can span the chasm between the police and the community in a most positive way.

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