As a former police officer, I am disturbed by the video showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agent Jonathan Ross shooting and killing Renee Nicole Good as she attempted to move her car after being boxed in by ICE and other vehicles.

Good was not suspected of a violent crime. She was a citizen engaged in her constitutionally protected right to peaceful protest, observing enforcement activity in her Minneapolis neighborhood.

As a current legislator, I assess this case through the framework Connecticut has built to reduce unnecessary risk, protect civil rights, and strengthen public trust. I am concerned that excessive actions by ICE agents are undermining law enforcement and making good policing harder.

Transparency is essential to public confidence in policing. This incident, like many others, was captured on video by bystanders and by the ICE agent himself. Videos, witness statements, and physical evidence should allow investigators to establish the facts clearly. Due process demands investigations free from political pressure or agency interference.

Transparency alone, however, is insufficient. Accountability depends on whether law enforcement agencies operate under clear, enforceable rules that prioritize de-escalation, officer safety, and preservation of life. When agencies fall short of these standards, they must be held accountable.

Connecticut has embedded these principles into law and training. It is vital that residents understand how the 8,000 highly trained law enforcement professionals in Connecticut respond to these types of incidents.

An officer’s fundamental responsibility is to render aid. ICE agents reportedly failed to provide medical assistance, allow a qualified professional to do so, or even check whether Good was alive. Connecticut law requires officers to provide immediate emergency medical care regardless of custody status or who caused the injury.

Connecticut law forbids shooting at a moving vehicle unless it poses an immediate threat to life or involves the escape of a serious felon. Officers are trained to avoid blocking vehicles, positioning themselves near moving cars, or escalating low-level encounters into lethal confrontations. Supervisors actively manage pursuit and containment decisions to minimize risk.

Tactical discipline is deeply embedded in Connecticut training. Officers are taught to continuously assess threats and anticipate outcomes. They are specifically instructed not to stand in front of or behind moving vehicles, not to step into a vehicle’s path, and not to reach inside vehicles during routine encounters. When genuine danger exists, controlled “felony stop” procedures are used to maximize safety for all involved.

Body cameras are standard practice in Connecticut. State law mandates their use during public interactions because they promote transparency, protect officers through objective documentation, and reduce disputes over the use of force. ICE agents appear not to have department-issued cameras, instead relying on personal cell phones — an approach that would not meet Connecticut’s accountability standards.

Officer identification is required. Connecticut law generally prohibits officers from concealing their identities and requires visible name tags and badges, as well as compliance when asked to identify oneself. Public authority must be visible to remain legitimate.

Professionalism requires disciplined decision-making rather than emotional reaction. This skill supports de-escalation, protects officers and civilians, and reduces unnecessary harm.

When agencies depart from these principles, as ICE is clearly doing, public confidence erodes. Allegations of excessive force, enforcement based on race or ethnicity rather than lawful authority, and misleading reporting undermine the integrity of the justice system and weaken community cooperation.

The Minneapolis incident highlights a troubling question: why should accountability depend on whether an officer wears a federal badge or a local one? Public safety standards and civil rights protections should not stop at state lines or agency boundaries. If Connecticut’s model strengthens public and officer safety, accountability, and trust, then federal law enforcement agencies should be held to the same standards.

As a member of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, I support continued investment in high-quality police training and holding federal agents accountable for actions taken in our state that violate our laws and policing standards.

Transparency and accountability are not anti-law enforcement. They are pro-professionalism, pro-public trust, and essential to the rule of law.

State Rep. Renee LaMark Muir represents Connecticut’s 36th District (Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam.)