WASHINGTON STATE — House Bill 2648 is currently under legislative consideration, outlining mandatory actions for peace officers regarding their body cams.
The bill focuses on interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the duties of officers to arrest unlawful citizens.
The bill states that when on-duty state peace officers encounter a U.S. ICE employee conducting immigration enforcement activities, they must document the situation using their body cam or dash cam if in a vehicle. Officers are then required to report the incident to their agency, which could make the information publicly accessible.
Washington State Representative Mary Fosse supported the bill, emphasizing its protective measures.
“It’s more of helping clarify that in the face of masked intruders breaking down your door, you have somebody to call. And so it’s a forward-thinking measure to prepare for any potential clash that we may have. If we see ICE’s more aggressive tactics and civil rights violating tactics come here to our state that we’re seeing in some of the other states displayed,” Fosse said.
Fosse highlighted that community trust is a significant aspect of the bill, particularly as preparation for potential immigration crackdowns continues in other cities.
However, opponents argue that this legislation should not be prioritized and claim that such laws could endanger law enforcement.
