Harris County sheriff wants to change body cam policy

Jeff Ehling Image
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Houston law enforcement working on public transparency
From releasing police video sooner to being transparent with the public, this is how Houston and Harris County law enforcement are looking to make changes.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The move to bring changes to law enforcement is already having an impact. In Harris County, agencies are looking to make changes with how they use deadly force and be more transparent with the public.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told ABC13 he is working to update how quickly the department releases video of incidents involving officers' misconduct.

"What I hope is that we don't just see cosmetic changes, but we need serious change to really occur," Gonzalez said.

On the federal end, President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order that gives incentives to law enforcement agencies to adopt best practices on the use of force, share information about officer misconduct and respond to nonviolent calls from the help of social workers.

Trumps initiative is something Gonzalez said should have been done years ago.

"In many ways we have forgotten that we are meant to protect and serve, protect and serve, it is not us against the community it is us with the community," Gonzalez said.

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