Police body camera guidelines move forward in state legislature

Weeks after the shooting of Justus Howell by a Zion police officer was ruled a justifiable homicide, lawmakers on Thursday started considering a plan to use money from traffic tickets to pay for police body cameras.

Illinois could be the first state in the nation to have a statewide implementation plan for body cameras, and lawmakers want to fund the cameras with a $5 increase in all traffic tickets.

The proposal comes as part of a larger package that wouldn't mandate law enforcement body cameras, but would set guidelines for their use and would help provide funding for them.

Of the $5 that would be tacked onto traffic tickets, $2 would go toward the purchase of body cameras and $3 would help pay for increased law enforcement training.

State Rep. Sheri Jesiel, a Winthrop Harbor Republican, says the cameras could help restore confidence in law enforcement after 17-year-old Howell was shot in April.

“Particularly in the Zion area, I think this would help them have confidence, and I also know that the police force in Zion is in support of body cameras,” Jesiel said.

She says the cameras would provide protections not just for those being apprehended by the police, but for law enforcement as well.

“I think it will help hold people accountable. It also helps clear up any misconceptions about an incident if it happens,” Jesiel said.

Dozens marched in Waukegan earlier this month after the Lake County state's attorney said the Zion shooting was justified.

Marchers protested racially charged shootings, and chanted “black lives matter,” and “no justice, no peace.” The protest remained peaceful, and was smaller than officials expected.

The proposal's sponsor, Elgie Sims, a Chicago Democrat, says Illinois could help pave the way for other states when it comes to body camera implementation if this legislation is passed.

“We've been proactive, not reactive,” Sims said. “What we are doing is taking a proactive step to ensure we have set up protocols and guidelines in place to make sure things that happen around the country don't happen here,”

The proposal was approved by the Illinois House by a 107-3 vote and now moves to the Senate.