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Washington –
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
released
the
statement
below
following
South
Carolina
Governor
Nikki
Haley
(R)
signing
legislation
into
law
that
creates
statewide
guidelines
for
the
usage
and
implementation
of
body-worn
cameras
for
law
enforcement
officers
in
the
Palmetto
State.
“I
want
to
thank
the
South
Carolina
Legislature
and
Governor
Haley
for
moving
quickly
on
this
issue
and
determining
the
path
forward
for
the
usage
and
implementation
of
body-worn
cameras
in
South
Carolina,”
Scott
said.
“I
am
proud
we
were
able
to
come
together
as
a
state
and
take
this
step
to
help
keep
both
our
law
enforcement
officers
and
the
communities
they
serve
safer.”
Scott
continued,
“I
look
forward
to
introducing
legislation
in
the
U.S.
Senate
in
the
coming
weeks
to
help
provide
tools
and
resources
for
departments
in
South
Carolina
and
across
the
nation
to
purchase
and
implement
body-worn
cameras.
With
multiple
studies
showing
a
decrease
in
both
public
complaints
against
officers
and
in
the
use
of
force
by
officers,
it
is
clear
body
cameras
can
play
an
important
role
in
rebuilding
trust
between
law
enforcement
and
communities.”
Governor
Haley
signed
S.
47
into
law
in
North
Charleston
today,
alongside
family
members
of
the
late
Walter
Scott
and
other
community
leaders.
The
bill
requires
the
use
of
body
cameras
by
all
law
enforcement
agencies
in
the
state.
Local
departments
will
have
to
create
their
own
policies
and
procedures
to
conform
to
guidelines
developed
by
the
South
Carolina
Law
Enforcement
Training
Council.
Last
month, Senator
Scott
testified before
the
U.S.
Senate
Judiciary
Subcommittee
on
Crime
and
Terrorism
on
the
importance
of
body
cameras.
Scott
had previously
requested
the
hearing be
held
in
order
to
begin
the
process
of
building
a
national
consensus
on
the
issue.
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