From: Councilmember Kenyan R.
McDuffie <
kmcduffie@dccouncil.us>
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2020 5:13 PM
Subject: June 4 Update - No Curfew Tonight - McDuffie Offers Police
Use-of-Force Provision
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Below are
updates on the District's response to the coronavirus pandemic as
well as other urgent matters. For the latest and most comprehensive
information always visit http://coronavirus.dc.gov.
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Mayor
Bowser has NOT instituted a curfew for tonight, Thursday, June 4.
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Councilmember
McDuffie Offers Provision to Define Police Use-of-Force Measures
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In light
of the tragic deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and
countless more black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, the
District of Columbia Council is expected to take up emergency
legislation on June 9, 2020. Councilmember McDuffie
has drafted a provision he hopes to include that would establish
when the use of force or use of deadly force by a police officer
may be justifiable or not. The provision would
also define specific factors that must be considered when
determining whether an exercise of force or deadly force is
reasonable.
An
additional provision that is included in the proposed emergency
legislation as circulated would prohibit police officers from
viewing body worn camera (BWC) footage prior to documenting their
recollections in a report. A similar provision
was removed from the original BWC law authored by Councilmember
McDuffie in 2015 by a last-minute amendment from former
Councilmember Jack Evans.
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With the
release, Councilmember McDuffie said:
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"As
all caring people are, I am heartbroken and angered by the
continued killing of black people at the hands of law enforcement
-- and it must stop.
I am proud of the reform efforts I have led since joining the
Council, such as drafting and passing the Neighborhood Engagement
Achieves Results Act (NEAR Act) and
the police body camera law. Still, this moment and the thousands of
District residents peacefully protesting police violence require
additional action to improve our laws and advance justice in our
city.
The use of force provision will help delineate what is now an
unclear standard and increase the public's trust in the police by
increasing police accountability.
The amendment to the BWC law would return an important provision
that would prohibit officers from reviewing BWC footage before
writing an initial report involving a use of force.
There remains much work ahead of us, but I know that if we can come
together with a sense of empathy and purpose, we can move our city
and country forward."
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Councilmember
McDuffie served as Chair of the Council Committee on the Judiciary
from 2015-16, leading the Council through the passage of the
landmark criminal justice reform bill, the NEAR Act. The NEAR Act
introduced a public health approach to crime prevention to the
District of Columbia and included recommendations from President
Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing (2015).
The current legislation, The
Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act
of 2020, consists of several provisions from across
the Council and is being drafted by Councilmember Charles Allen,
Chair of the Council Committee on Public Safety.
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Woodridge Library
Reopening for 'Take-out Service'
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The DC Library is reopening one library in
each ward for 'take-out service.' Under this approach,
customers will be allowed to pick up holds and return books at
designated points near a building's entrance. The returned books
will be quarantined for at least 72 hours before being checked in.
Starting Monday, June 8, the Anacostia, Benning, Cleveland Park,
Mount Pleasant, Northeast, Shepherd Park, West End, and Woodridge
libraries will offer take-out service from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on
weekdays. Additionally, remote printing, which allows customers to
send documents electronically for printing, will be available. Due
dates for items currently checked out have been extended to August.
All
library buildings will remain closed to the public during Phase One
of reopening.
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