Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Transparency Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident proposes Police Transparency and Accountability Reporting Ordinance; asks council to refer draft to committee
Summary
A resident, Robert Williams, presented a draft Police Transparency and Accountability Reporting Ordinance asking council to refer it for committee review. The draft would require recurring reporting on body‑worn camera deployment and system performance while remaining compliant with Act 22 of 2017 and collective bargaining limits.
Robert Williams, a Capitol Heights resident, formally proposed a draft ordinance titled the Police Transparency and Accountability Reporting Ordinance and handed physical copies to the city solicitor, the council president and the chair of the public safety committee.
Williams said the ordinance would require quarterly reports to the mayor, city council and the Civilian Review/Accountability body (CLIA) about the Harrisburg Police Bureau’s body‑worn camera program, including counts of officers equipped, technical issues with the system, and, when permitted by bargaining and legal restrictions, aggregate compliance metrics and use of footage that could inform policy adjustments. He emphasized the draft was written to comply with existing legal constraints including Act 22 of 2017, the Right to Know Law, the Criminal History Record Information Act and the Juvenile Act, and the draft avoids mandating bargaining‑covered personnel data until labor negotiations permit.
Williams urged council to refer the draft to the appropriate committee for further review and refinement with the city solicitor and police bureau; he offered digital copies and further assistance. Council staff accepted physical copies for distribution and indicated the draft would be scanned and circulated to council and staff for consideration.
The proposal is a public comment request for council action; the transcript records no committee referral or formal council action taken during the meeting.
