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Bill would require body cameras for correctional officers after deaths in custody; supporters and DOC offer differing cautions
Summary
House Bill 5928, the "Willie Washington Jr. Act," would require correctional officers to wear body cameras. Sponsors and family members cited multiple in-custody deaths; the ACLU and many advocates backed the measure while the Department of Corrections and some stakeholders asked for privacy, implementation, and fiscal details.
Representative Morales introduced House Bill 5928, known in testimony as the Willie Washington Junior Act, which would require correctional officers at Rhode Island correctional facilities to wear body-worn cameras while on duty.
“By passing the Willie Washington Junior Act, we are taking a stand for transparency,” Representative Morales said, asking the committee to move the bill forward. Morales cited recent deaths at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), saying family members were left “searching for answers.” Morales named several deaths reported in 2023 and 2024 and said the cameras would record interactions during medical crises and uses of force.
Supporters called the measure common-sense oversight. Steven Brown of the ACLU of Rhode Island told the committee he and the ACLU support body cameras in the ACI, while noting privacy concerns and recommending clearer rules on camera activation and footage use. “There should be clearer guidelines and standards to prevent individuals’ privacy from being invaded,” Brown said in his oral testimony and written submission.
Multiple people with lived experience and family members testified in favor. Jacqueline Kennedy Show, who identified herself in the hearing as formerly incarcerated, said maintaining contact with family and transparency mattered to keep people connected and to avoid repeat harm. A string of college students and community witnesses — including testimony read into the record — recounted alleged incidents of excessive force, described “blind spots” in existing stationary camera coverage, and urged the committee to adopt body-worn cameras and oversight to prevent deaths.
Advocates also cited out-of-state precedent and research. Witnesses referenced studies indicating reductions in use-of-force incidents and injuries in detention settings after camera deployments, and several witnesses pointed to examples and costs from other states to show implementation is feasible.
The Department of Corrections was represented at the hearing and provided written testimony expressing concerns about prematurely codifying policies without detailed operational and fiscal analysis. DOC witnesses asked for details on camera activation, data retention, privacy protections, and funding for equipment and storage; they also pointed to ongoing changes the department is implementing and monitored by a federal court.
The bill drew bipartisan attention in testimony: speakers tied calls for accountability to specific in-custody deaths and urged oversight that would protect both incarcerated people and staff. The committee did not take a final vote on the bill; all items on the agenda were held for further study under a procedural motion earlier in the hearing.
