The Department of the Interior of the Government of the United States announced on Monday that it will impose on all agents of the country’s security forces to carry body cameras that film their actions during their stay at work and will allow the rapid publication of the videos recorded in serious incidents.
In a statement, the department revealed the new internal regulations it has approved for law enforcement officers with the intention of “improving security, transparency and accountability” and to increase “trust” with citizens
These are “clear” guidelines that, among other things, oblige officers to always carry body cameras when on duty and that, on the other hand, they also restrict the use of records without prior notice.
The new regulations have been drawn up by a working group appointed last year by the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Harland, and which has Rigid Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau.
According to Beaudreau, with the reform of police practices, an attempt is being made to “strengthen the union” between the security forces and the communities they serve.
Many of the incidents of police brutality in the United States were made public by videos recorded by citizens, as was the case of the murder of the African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020, although there are many other cases that have been known thanks to the videos recorded by the body cameras of police officers.
An example is the death in March of this year of a thirteen-year-old teenager in Chicago, shot by the police after a chase. The young man was unarmed and raised his hands before being shot, as the videos showed.
The new regulations make it mandatory for all agents who patrol or are in contact with citizens to wear a body camera. minimum requirements to allow the publication of videos on incidents considered “serious” resulting in death or injury.
On the other hand, officers who press the carotid artery of a suspect to immobilize him unless there is authorization for a use of force that could lead to death.
Floyd died precisely by drowning, after his murderer, agent Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee against his neck for more than nine minutes while trying to arrest him for having used a counterfeit bill to pay in a store.
Regarding the new rules for entering a home without prior notice and without judicial authorization, the D The Department of the Interior will only justify it when there is an “imminent threat of physical violence to the officer or to another person who has requested assistance.”
And any search or entry without notice must have the authorization of your first and second supervisor in command and an assistant prosecutor.
With information from EFE
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