ACLU of D.C. Applauds District Council for Overriding Mayor’s Veto, Passing Federal Transparency Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Council of the District of Columbia today unanimously overrode a veto by Mayor Muriel Bowser, passing legislation to require the Metropolitan Police Department officers to document identifying information for all law enforcement officers present at the scene of an arrest.

The bill requires MPD to release the names of federal agents involved in arrests.

On March 3, the Council unanimously passed the bill, but Bowser vetoed it last week. After the Council’s override vote, the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia praised lawmakers for what it called “decisive action.”

“The Council showed true leadership and their commitment to our community today,” said Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of D.C. “Federal agents are running roughshod through our neighborhoods, knowing that the Trump administration will not hold them accountable. This bill does not solve the problem, but it will shine a very bright light on what federal officers are doing to the people of D.C. The people of the District deserve to know what is happening on our streets and who’s doing it.

“In the best of times, ICE has been a problematic agency; at the direction of Donald Trump, they’ve gone rogue, ignoring the law, forcing their way into homes without a warrant, and killing innocent people. With this new law, MPD will be a part of exposing how ICE and other agencies are treating the people of the District. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council on efforts to protect D.C. residents from abuse of power by federal law enforcement.”