Emergency bill seeks to expand access to body camera video of deadly police-involved incidents

Body camera bill in DC could allow families to view video of deadly encounters

The new push to release police body camera video in the District is supposed to increase transparency and help create trust between law enforcement and the community.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - An emergency bill passed unanimously by the D.C. Council seeks to allow close relatives of someone killed in an incident with the police to view the body camera video retained by D.C. Police.

Right now, only a subject in the video, a legal guardian if the subject is under 18, or a legal representative of the subject is allowed to view the video.

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The law would allow the parent or next of kin of someone killed in the incident to view the video. Advocates, including the bill's main sponsor Trayon White Jr., (D)-Ward 8, say the law will increase transparency in the highly criticized camera program.

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has 10 days to review the bill and sign it or veto it. Bowser's office told FOX 5 it would not comment on what she will do because she has not seen the bill yet.

Requests to view video by family members in several high-profile deaths involving police have largely been denied.

Families say police have not allowed them to view videos in the death of Jeff Price and D'Quan Young, while the mother of Marqueese Alston was only allowed to view a portion of video.

Price's uncle Jay Brown says if the law is enacted it would help give his family closure.

"Not allowing us to have that closure eats at the heart of transparency when it comes to trust in our community," said Brown.