The King County Sheriff's Office is one of the largest agencies in the state of Washington that does not require the use of dash cameras or body cameras to video officers' actions. The use of body cameras will increase public safety, improve law enforcement accountability, and improve relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve by increasing transparency in law enforcement.

In the first year after the Rialto Police Department in California adopted cameras in 2012, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent compared with the year before. More importantly, the use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

This is a plan that is a positive step for our country to begin to heal. It's a common sense measure that will save lives, and protect both civilians and police. The King County Sheriff's Office has discussed installing cameras for years, but no real action has been taken. It is important that the King County Council dedicate the time and funding to this endeavor- to save lives and improve law enforcement.  

Join us in calling on the leaders of King County to mandate the use of body cameras for on-duty police officers.