NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The 2024 legislative session is well underway and state lawmakers are making decisions on a number of proposed bills.
One of the new bills includes adding more punishment for officers who do not turn on their body-worn cameras.
The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will hear the bill on Tuesday.
HB 1522 bill has been making its rounds since last year's session. It would add a Class E felony charge for officers found guilty of not turning on a body camera. Currently they're charged with a Class C felony for the offense which means the offense carries 3-15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
If HB 1522 were to pass it would also add a Class E felony charge on top of that which carries 1-6 years in prison and a fine around $3,000.
Under current law it's a felony to tamper with body camera evidence, whether that's altering, destroying or concealing any record with the intent to impair its availability to be evidence.
This bill would add a Class E felony for an officer that turns off, disables or fails to turn on a body camera, essentially prohibiting the ability to record evidence.
The bill comes at a time as the Metro Nashville Police Department recently announced an investment into new state-of-the-art body cameras.
They're expected to not only address battery concerns but also introduce a host of new features, including being able to upload footage directly from their cruisers which will allow officers to spend more time in the community.
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-Rebecca Schleicher
