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Norton Pushes Bill Requiring Body Cameras for Troops Deployed in D.C.

August 27, 2025

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has introduced legislation requiring armed forces deployed in Washington, D.C. by presidential order to wear body cameras similar to those used by the Metropolitan Police Department. The bill would apply to all active-duty forces responding to crime or civil disturbances in the capital, implementing a program that stores video and provides public access. Norton argues this measure would promote transparency and protect both military personnel and D.C. residents during deployments, which she criticizes as politicizing the military.

Who is affected

  • D.C. residents (over 700,000)
  • National Guard troops and other military personnel deployed in D.C.
  • The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
  • Military families and employers of deployed Guard members

What action is being taken

  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is introducing legislation requiring body cameras for military forces in D.C.
  • President Trump has deployed over 2,000 troops to Washington, D.C.
  • Trump has signed an executive order directing National Guard units to be prepared to assist in "quelling civil disturbances"
  • Trump is creating a standing National Guard "quick reaction force" for rapid nationwide deployment

Why it matters

  • The deployment of troops in D.C. occurs without local government oversight or consent
  • Body cameras would promote transparency during interactions between troops and civilians
  • The president's control over D.C. National Guard highlights the District's lack of self-determination
  • Former National Guard leader Randy Manner describes Trump's directive as "unneeded and also very dangerous"
  • The situation represents a shift in the National Guard's traditional role from disaster response to civil policing

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer

Norton Pushes Bill Requiring Body Cameras for Troops Deployed in D.C.