Press Releases

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) today praised President Joe Biden for mandating in an executive order that federal law enforcement agencies use body cameras, adopt and publicly post body camera policies and expedite release of video footage to the public following incidents involving serious bodily injury or deaths while an individual is in custody. On September 27, 2021, Norton and Beyer sent a letter to Biden requesting that he require federal law enforcement agencies to use body and dashboard cameras.

“I applaud President Biden for requiring federal law enforcement officers to use body cameras,” Norton said. “While the executive order’s camera provisions are critical, Congress must also pass my bill with Representative Don Beyer that requires the use of cameras, so that a future administration cannot undo the camera requirements.”

“The steps President Biden announced today would improve accountability for police misconduct while boosting transparency and support for officer wellness, an approach that supports police by improving community trust,” said Beyer. “Among the important measures in the President’s executive actions, I am thrilled to see the directive mandating adoption of body-worn cameras, something Congresswoman Norton and I have worked to achieve for years. The death of George Floyd two years ago was an agonizing moment for our country, and it is vital that leaders in both the Administration and Congress continue to seek ways to prevent police misconduct while protecting the public and building healthier communities.”

Norton and Beyer have introduced the Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act, which would require all uniformed federal police officers to use body and dashboard cameras. The bill passed the House as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.