Republican Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is making it harder for citizens to hold police accountable by banning residents from recording video within eight feet of officers.
Ducey signed the legislation on Sunday prohibiting people from filming “police activity” at a close distance. Anyone who disobeys this new law will face up to 30 days in jail, a year of probation, and $500 in fines. Officers are required to warn anyone filming before they are punished.
The bill defines “police activity” as any law enforcement officer’s interactions with citizens, including arrests, questioning anyone deemed suspicious, issuing a summons, or handling anyone officers believe to be “emotionally disturbed or disorderly.”
Critics of the measure believe that officers can stop anyone within the eight feet range from recording by simply moving closer to them. However, Republican State Rep. John Kavanagh, who introduced the bill, insists officers wouldn’t move toward the person recording past the eight-foot threshold if they are not acting suspiciously. He says the bill’s purpose is to prevent people from getting “dangerously close” to potentially violent confrontations.
“Police officers have no way of knowing whether the person approaching is an innocent bystander or an accomplice of the person they’re arresting who might assault them,” Kavanagh explained.
Democratic State Sen. Martin Quezada disagrees, arguing that anytime someone is recording law enforcement, they are seen as suspicious by the officers.
The law will take effect on September 24th.
