PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s governor has signed a law that restricts how the public can video police at a time when there’s growing pressure around the country for greater law enforcement transparency.
Gov. Doug Ducey approved a measure that makes it illegal to knowingly film police officers 8 feet or closer without an officer’s permission. Civil rights and media groups say the law is unconstitutional and simply cannot be applied in real-world scenarios.
The bill's advocates say the law allows for filming while keeping everyone safe. The move comes nearly a year after the U.S. Department of Justice launched a probe into the Phoenix police force. Similar investigations are ongoing in Minneapolis and Louisville.
