According to data from the organization “Mapping Police Violence,” the Phoenix Police Department is extraordinarily deadly. Of the 10 most populous U.S. cities, Phoenix’s deadly use of force rate was higher than any other comparable department from 2013 to 2021.
The Phoenix Police Department’s policing problem is so bad the Department of Justice opened an investigation in 2021 into its use of force, allegations of discrimination and other forms of abuse. And while all of this should warrant more scrutiny of Phoenix PD, the Republicans in full control of the state government just moved to shroud all of Arizona’s police in more secrecy instead.
Republicans in full control of the state government just moved to shroud all of Arizona’s police in more secrecy instead.
Last Wednesday, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill into law creating new restrictions for onlookers who want to film troubling police interactions. In recent years, filmed police encounters — like the killings of George Floyd and Eric Garner — have highlighted the important role public observers play in countering false police narratives. But House Bill 2319 looks to change that. The law requires anyone recording an officer’s interaction with another person to stand at least eight feet away while police conduct “law enforcement activity.”
Those activities apparently include questioning people, issuing a summons, arresting people, and dealing with an “emotionally disturbed or disorderly person who is exhibiting abnormal behavior.” And HB 2319 gives police broad latitude to determine when any of these things is actually happening. The law was introduced earlier this year by Republican State Rep. John Kavanagh, an ex-New York officer with all the politics to match. Kavanagh’s original proposal would have required people to stand 15 feet away while filming (evidently Arizona police need a wide berth in order to trample on civil rights). In the final version, Republicans adjusted the distance to eight feet in order to mirror the constitutionally protected buffer zones some abortion providers put in place to protect abortion seekers from unruly protesters.
In the warped, conservative mind, police — who serve the public — deserve protection from accountability in the same exact way pregnant people deserve protection from rabid protesters wanting to take away their bodily autonomy.
Rational thinkers can tell the clear difference … but this is Arizona Republicans we’re talking about. And House Bill 2319 is their pitiful attempt at soothing the cries of camera-shy cops.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.