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B26-0615 • 2025

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Temporary 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
2026-06-26
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source confirms the Mayor vetoed the bill, but also states it reached final enactment (Law L26-0138), implying a successful legislative override occurred.

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Temporary 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 officer present at an arrest scene in supporting documents like probable cause affidavits.
  • 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 only to Metropolitan Police Department members, not other law enforcement agencies.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the Metropolitan Police Department who write arrest reports or probable cause affidavits

Terms To Know

Probable Cause Affidavit
Any affidavit prepared by an MPD member to establish probable cause following a warrantless arrest.
Law Enforcement Officer
Any sworn member of the Metropolitan Police Department or any other law enforcement officer, including federal officers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law expires automatically after 225 days from when it takes effect.
  • Failure to follow these rules cannot be used as evidence in criminal or civil court cases.
  • The Mayor returned the bill unsigned, stating it was rushed and might complicate work for officers.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0138, Effective from Jun 11, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008892, Expires on Jan 22, 2027

  2. 2026-05-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0304 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 006810

  3. 2026-04-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0304

  4. 2026-04-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  5. 2026-04-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2026-04-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 28, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2026-03-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0615 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  10. 2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2026-03-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0615 Introduced by Councilmember R. White at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
MurietBowserMayor
April21, 2026
The Honorable PhilMendelson
Chairman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 PennsylvaniaAvenue, NW, Suite504
Washington,DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Tam returningBill26-0615,“FullAccountabilityinArrestReportingTemporary Amendment
Act of 2026,”unsigned.
ThisisrushedlegislationthatcouldimpedelawenforcementeffortsinDC.ThismeasureismoreappropriatelyhandledbytheCongressoftheUnitedStateswhohasbudgetandoversightresponsibilitiesforfederalpolicingagencies.Thisbilldoesnotincludeanyimplementation,planning,ortrainingperiodforourofficers.Thisistherecipeforcomplicationsforfrontlineofficerandprosecutors.
Sincerely, Mayor

ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
AN ACT

.C.ACT 26-304
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
APRIL 29, 2026
‘Torequire,onatemporarybasis,MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficerstodocumentidentifyinginformationforalllawenforcementofficerspresentatthesceneofanarrestandanyuseofforceindocumentationsupportingthearrest,includingprobablecauseaffidavits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“FullAccountabilityinArrestReportingTemporaryActof2026”.
Sec.2.Arrestreportandprobablecauseaffidavittransparencyrequirements,(a)Followinganarrest,amemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentshallincludethefollowinginformation,totheextentknownatthetime,indocumentationsupportingthearrest,includingaprobablecauseaffidavit:(1)Thename,badgenumberorotheridentifyingnumber,andemployingagencyofeachlawenforcementofficerpresentatthescene;(2)Whetheranylawenforcementofficerpresentatthesceneusedforceduringthe
arrestand, ifso,a descriptionof the forceused; and
(3)Thenumberofunidentifiedlawenforcementofficersatthesceneandwhetheranylawenforcementofficerdeclinedtodisclosetheiridentity.(b)(1)Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstruedto:(A)Imposeanylegalobligationonanylawenforcementofficerotherthan
amemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartment;or(B)Createaprivaterightofaction.(2)Failuretocomplywithanyprovisioninthissectionshallnotbeusedasevidenceorinanyotherwayinanycriminalorcivilproceeding.(©)Forthepurposesofthissection,theterm:(1)“Lawenforcementofficer”meansanyswormmemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentoranylawenforcementofficer,includingfederalofficers.
Q)“Probablecauseaffidavit”meansanyaffidavitpreparedbyamemberoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmenttoestablishprobablecausefollowingawarrantlessarrest.
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approved
December24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1))(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
‘irman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
DistrictofColumbiaAPRIL 22, 2026

DocketNo.B26-0615
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
Daaction
1X]VOTEDATE
{X]VOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resuit
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FirstReading
March3,2026
Approved

Caineinionbar[oye[Nay]W [AB[Res]Gamelan”[aye[Nay[Nv[AB[eoComeivenber[oye]hay|v[ad[RoCalmanMannx Fain x FinoAlen x Hendson[x .witeSods x LewisGoooe|x Tuiteavi x Nadeou 1XFett x Pare xX.-IndicateVote AB- Absent NV.-Prasent,Not Voting’ Rec -Recused
CERTNGATIONRECORDetek 471 eSsh oteGol
DocketNo.B2

15
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
DGACTION
[DdVOTEDATE
[DgVoiceVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE-Result
Date
FinalReading,CC
‘March31,2026
Approved

‘SeorelarytotheCouncil
CouncilMember |Aye[Nay|NV_|AB_|Rec|CouncilMember [Aye|Nay|NV[AB|Rec|CounciiMember [Aye| Nay|NV']AB| Reo
ChairmanMendetson|X Frumin x Pinto
‘Alon x Henderson x R.White
Bonds x LewisGeorge_| x T.White
Crawford x Nadeau x
Fodor x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB =Absent a NV-Present,NotVoting, s
CERTIFICATIONRECORD