PASCO, Wash. — Cellphone video taken from a distance captures Pasco police shooting a man on Tuesday, but a closer view from a police body cam might have shown whether the protests over the controversial shooting are justified.
"Hopefully, cameras will give some answers to some very tough questions in tough situations that officers are in and tough situations that citizens are in sometimes," said Seattle Democrat Rep. Eric Pettigrew.
Pettigrew is a co-sponsor of legislation that would sharply restrict public access to police body camera video even as more departments begin to roll out the technology.
Gov. Jay Inslee was asked about transparency when public trust in law enforcement is at stake.
"For the public who has concerns about violence associated with these interactions, to have the truth or one part of that is very important,"Inslee said.
However, out of privacy concerns, the American Civil Liberties Union not only wants to restrict access to the public, but says prosecutors shouldn't have the right to use body cam video in court.
"Absolutely. We should use video evidence. We should use DNA evidence. We should use any evidence that's reliable," said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.
Pettigrew will work to ease restrictions before anything on body cameras becomes law.
“I just don't think we'll get a piece of legislation out of here unless it is open up to the public more. It's kind of like it's not even an option,” Pettigrew said.
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