A series of Utah police reform bills, none of which mean sweeping changes for police agencies, take incremental steps toward increasing accountability and transparency for police officers while also being supported by law enforcement officials.
SALT LAKE CITY Two bills with broader checks and transparency for police hit roadblocks Thursday, but others with more tempered approaches are advancing through the Utah Legislature.
The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee held HB74, which would allow cities to create their own elected police oversight boards, and HB133, requiring release of body camera footage of incidents that result in death or bodily injury or whenever an officer fires a gun within 10 days.
But that same committee voted to favorably move to the full chamber several other more measured police reform bills, including SB38, which would require annual certification of police K-9s and their handlers, and HB59, which would criminally punish officers, prosecutors or others taking part of an investigation if they improperly share intimate images a bill inspired by former University of Utah police officer who showed explicit photos of slain student Lauren McCluskey to fellow officers.
The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee blocked both HB74 letting Utah cities create their own elected police oversight boards, and HB133, requiring release of body camera footage of incidents whenever an officer fires a gun within 10 days.
Deseret News
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Laura Seitz, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY A handful of police reform bills are inching their way through the Utah Legislature, but at least one even though its sponsor argued it was a relatively “tame” attempt to hold officers more accountable has already hit a roadblock.
Two of Rep. Angela Romero’s police reform bills cleared their first legislative hurdles on Monday by winning unanimous approval from the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee. But one of Rep. Andrew Stoddard’s bills faltered on a split vote and failed to advance.
Romero, D-Salt Lake City, won support for HB162, which would require 16 of the 40 hours of training police officers are required to complete each year to be focused on de-escalation tactics and working with individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis. She also won the committee’s approval for HB84, which would require local law enforcement agencies to collect and submit data on u