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District of Columbia · Through 2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)

D.C. Code § 5-116.71: Arrest report and probable cause affidavit transparency requirements.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 5. Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences.
  2. Chapter 1. Metropolitan Police.
  3. Subchapter VIII-C. Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting.

*NOTE: This section was created by temporary legislation that will expire on January 22, 2027.*

(a)

Following an arrest, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department shall include the following information, to the extent known at the time, in documentation supporting the arrest, including a probable cause affidavit:

(1)

The name, badge number or other identifying number, and employing agency of each law enforcement officer present at the scene;

(2)

Whether any law enforcement officer present at the scene used force during the arrest and, if so, a description of the force used; and

(3)

The number of unidentified law enforcement officers at the scene and whether any law enforcement officer declined to disclose their identity.

(b)

(1)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(A)

Impose any legal obligation on any law enforcement officer other than a member of the Metropolitan Police Department; or

(B)

Create a private right of action.

(2)

Failure to comply with any provision in this section shall not be used as evidence or in any other way in any criminal or civil proceeding.

(c)

For the purposes of this section, the term:

(1)

"Law enforcement officer" means any sworn member of the Metropolitan Police Department or any law enforcement officer, including federal officers.

(2)

"Probable cause affidavit" means any affidavit prepared by a member of the Metropolitan Police Department to establish probable cause following a warrantless arrest.

Collected 2026-08-29T05:44:07Z. Source file · JSON

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