Bill aimed at curbing police brutality would require officers to wear cameras

The bill states that every arrest or delay of Israeli citizens must be filmed using cameras installed on officers' uniforms.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Screenshot of video showing police officer attacking IDF soldier‏. (photo credit: screenshot)
Screenshot of video showing police officer attacking IDF soldier‏.
(photo credit: screenshot)
New legislation inspired by the incident that sparked mass protests by Ethiopian-Israelis would mandate that all police officers must wear video cameras.
MK Abraham Naguise (Likud) nicknamed his proposal the ‘Damas Pakada bill,’ after the IDF soldier of Ethiopian descent who was attacked by a police officer and volunteer last month. Pakada was accused of assaulting the officer and arrested, only to be released when surveillance video of the incident was posted online.
The bill states that every arrest or detainment of Israeli citizens must be filmed using cameras installed on officers’ uniforms.
“This will solve the problem of police violence against Israelis of Ethiopian descent and other Israeli citizens,” Naguise posited. “At the same time, it will reduce the number of false complaints of police brutality.”
Naguise said similar laws were proven effective in several cities in the US and that President Barack Obama is pushing an initiative in Congress to fund documentation equipment for police.
MKs from the Likud, Zionist Union, United Torah Judaism, Shas, Yisrael Beytenu, the Joint List, Kulanu and Meretz signed the bill.
The explanatory portion of the bill states that the dissemination of the surveillance video on Pakada’s arrest “makes it clear that visual documentation of arrests... will help defend the liberty and dignity of citizens and allow Israel Police to ensure that its officers are enforcing the law.”