Justin Douglas is a Democratic member of the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners in Pennsylvania. He was elected in 2023 and has served as the board's chairman since January 2025. Before entering office he worked as a pastor and community organizer. He was a candidate in the 2026 Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district.
Case
An ICE officer fired at an SUV driving away from a Harrisburg vehicle stop. ICE says the driver rammed an ICE vehicle; PennLive reports its footage shows him driving around it. A county commissioner called for an independent investigation.
Role at the time: Chairman of the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners
Response to this claim
Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas said the publicly available video appears inconsistent with the Department of Justice deadly-force policy, which permits deadly force only in narrowly defined circumstances involving an imminent threat.
“Whatever crimes someone may have committed, and whatever charges they may face, fleeing from law enforcement is not punishable by death. The use of deadly force must always be justified. ... What we see in the video appears inconsistent with the U.S. Department of Justice's Policy 1-16.200, Use of Deadly Force and Prohibited Restraining Techniques, which permit such force only in narrowly defined circumstances involving an imminent threat. To truly serve justice, I believe this situation warrants a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation.”
The reference point is the officer's decision to fire. Douglas says the footage appears inconsistent with the Justice Department's standard for deadly force and that fleeing does not warrant death, which rejects the firing rather than only questioning how ICE described the encounter.
Statement dates: July 2, 2026
Statement dates: July 2, 2026
Statement dates: July 2, 2026
