Congressman Cohen Reintroduces National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act
Requires the collection of evidence including use of firearms
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today reintroduced the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, requiring the collection of pertinent information in these cases. The 1994 Crime Bill requires the Attorney General to collect information on instances of “excessive” force but the term is difficult to define. Congressman Cohen’s bill would be limited collecting records in cases of the use of deadly force. The record of the incidents would include the relevant law enforcement agency, if appropriate; the nature of the deadly force used, including whether a firearm was involved; and a description of non-lethal efforts made before deadly force was used, if any, among other details.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“We know some of their names: Tyre Nichols, George Floyd, Philando Castille, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice and Alton Sterling. Too often, we learn of law enforcement encounters that become deadly, yet there are still no official statistics on these incidents. We are left questioning what happened and what other non-lethal measures could have been employed. And we ask: ‘Why again?’
“Congress and the American people need to know both how often deadly force is used as well as against whom. Police officers welcome this kind of transparency since it resolves any disputed facts. This information is crucial to know how to help best address the problem. My bill, the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, removes the mystery and will lead to evidence-based solutions to this too-frequent problem.”
On Tuesday, Congressman Cohen reintroduced his Police Creating Accountability by Making Effective Recording Act (CAMERA). The measure establishes a grant program to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies purchase body-worn cameras, implement body-worn camera programs, and report to Congress on the impact and effectiveness of the use of body-worn cameras.
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