B26-0614 • 2025

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: R. White
Last action: 2026-04-10
Official status: Vetoed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official digest lists the status as 'Vetoed,' but the text includes a Council Override date of March 31, 2026. The JSON reflects that it was enacted via override.

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

This law requires Metropolitan Police Department officers to list identifying details for all police present at an arrest scene and describe any use of force in official documents.

What This Bill Does

Requires MPD members to include the name, badge number, or other ID, and employing agency for every law enforcement officer present at an arrest scene.
Mandates that reports state if any officer used force during the arrest and describe how it was used.
Asks officers to count unidentified police present and note if anyone refused to give their identity.
Applies these rules to documents supporting arrests, including probable cause affidavits prepared after warrantless arrests.

Who It Names or Affects

Members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who prepare arrest documentation or affidavits.

Terms To Know

Probable cause affidavit: A written statement prepared by an MPD member to establish probable cause following a warrantless arrest.
Emergency act: A law that takes effect after approval and remains in force for no longer than 90 days unless extended or made permanent.

Limits and Unknowns

This rule does not create a legal duty for police officers who are not members of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Failure to follow these reporting rules cannot be used as evidence in criminal or civil court cases.
The law is an emergency measure and will expire 90 days after it takes effect unless further action occurs.

Bill History

2026-04-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Act A26-0290 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 005882, Expires on Jun 29, 2026
2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0290, Expires on Jun 29, 2026
2026-03-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Returned from Mayor
2026-03-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Vetoed by the Mayor
2026-03-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Mar 23, 2026
2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Retained by the Council
2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2026-03-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0614 Introduced by Councilmember R. White at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

IROLLED ORIGINAL

AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-290
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
MARCH 31,2026
‘Torequire,onanemergencybasis,MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficerstodocumentidentifyinginformationforalllawenforcementofficerspresentatthesceneofanarrestandanyuseofforceindocumentationsupportingthearrest,includingprobablecauseaffidavits.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthis
actmaybecitedasthe“FullAccountabilityinArrestReportingEmergencyActof2026”.
Sec.2.Arrestreportandprobablecauseaffidavittransparencyrequirements.
(@)Followinganarrest,amemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentshalllincludethefollowinginformation,totheextentknownatthetime,indocumentationsupportingthearrest,includingaprobablecauseaffidavit:
(1)Thename,badgenumberorotheridentifyingnumber,andemployingagencyofeachlawenforcementofficerpresentatthescene;(2)Whetheranylawenforcementofficerpresentatthesceneusedforceduringthearrestand,ifso,adescriptionoftheforceused;and
(3)Thenumberofunidentifiedlawenforcementofficersatthesceneandwhetheranylawenforcementofficerdeclinedtodisclosetheiridentity.(b)(1)Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstruedto:
(A)ImposeanylegalobligationonanylawenforcementofficerotherthanamemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartment;or(B)Createaprivaterightofaction.
(2)Failuretocomplywithanyprovisioninthissectionshallnotbeusedasevidenceorinanyotherwayinanycriminalorcivilproceeding.
(c)Forthepurposesofthissection,theterm:
(1)“Lawenforcementofficer”meansanyswornmemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentoranylawenforcementofficer,includingfederalofficers.
(2)*Probablecauseaffidavit”meansanyaffidavitpreparedbyamemberofthe
1

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
MetropolitanPoliceDepartment toestablishprobablecausefollowinga warrantlessarrest.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredby section4a oftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038;D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor, actionby the Council to overridethe veto),and shallremain in effectforno longerthan
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(@)ofthe Districtof Columbia Home Rule Act,approvedDecember 24, 1973 (87Stat.788;
D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.12(a)).
fet —‘rman
CounciloftheDistrictofColumbia
————-ETN__
MayorDistrictof Columbia
March 23,2026
COUNCIL OVERRIDE: MARCH 31, 2026

{]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
IX]ACTION
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

FinalReading
([X]VOTE DATE March 3,2026
[X] VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE~Resuit
CounciiMember__[aye[Nay|Nv [Aa|Rec|CounciiMember[Aye|Nay|NV[AB[Rec]Councitember [Aye|Nay
ChaltmanMendelson]x Frumin Pinto
x Henderson White
x LewisGeorge T.White
x Nadeau
x

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