U.S. Capitol Police launches body camera program

Seventy U.S. Capitol Police officers began wearing body cameras on Tuesday as part of a six-month pilot program to promote public trust in the law enforcement agency.

The program equips 70 officers who volunteered with cameras. Most of the officers work outside the halls of Congress, as they have more public-facing interactions, the agency said.

“I was confident that the cameras would do two things. First, they would remind the public just how challenging the law enforcement profession can be,” Chief Tom Manger said in a statement. “Second, the cameras would also showcase the great work our cops do day in and day out. This is a great accountability tool for everyone.”

The cameras, which need to be manually activated, are intended to record all official law enforcement actions. Eleven USCP cruisers were also equipped with dashcams, which record automatically.

Body cameras will not be used inside the Capitol or during interactions with members of Congress, the agency said, to “protect the constitutional duties of members of Congress.”

Following the six-month pilot, USCP leadership will analyze the practicality and use of body cameras for the entire department.

The program comes after a comprehensive review of Capitol security following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The report recommended additional fencing for the area, increased staffing, and better transparency and accountability measures.