By LaKeshia N. Myers
Representative LaKeshia Myers
Rodney King. Eleanor Bumpurs. Sandra Bland. Michael Bell. Ernest Lacy. Dontre Hamilton. The list is endless and could fill thousands of pages. Individuals who have been killed by police. In the four years since the murder of George Floyd and the protests for police accountability, the road to justice in policing has been rough and winding. One of the clearest requests of police reform activists has been the mandated use of body cameras by officers and that the footage be made available to the public in short order.
This request has been thwarted by many police departments, who have sued to either not disclose footage or extend the length of time that footage is made publicly available. The Milwaukee Police Association, the union for Milwaukee police officers, sued to block a Fire and Police Commission policy change that would mandate body camera footage be released to families within forty-eight hours and to the public within fifteen days.
In the aftermath of this week’s police-involved shooting of Samuel Sharpe, by visiting Columbus, Ohio, police, body camera footage was made available to the public within hours. Surprisingly, the Milwaukee Police Association did an “about face” and dropped their lawsuit blocking the body-worn camera policy.
In the immortal words of Alanis Morrisette, “Isn’t it ironic?”. Apparently, the people can come up with good police practices. Apparently, unaltered body cam footage can be released quickly. It only took the Milwaukee police union to see somebody else do it. Hopefully, the next time quality police protocols are adopted, the police union can follow the lead of Chief Norman and implement the policy instead of stifling progress with a lawsuit only to change course later.
Change is uncomfortable but inevitable. If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing and that is dangerous. But on this one, a small win for the people, the revolution continues.