No law enforcement officer — local, state, or federal — should be allowed to operate in our neighborhoods while concealing their identity. But that’s exactly what has been happening in Los Angeles County, where masked federal agents, often in unmarked vehicles, have detained residents without identifying themselves or their agencies.

This is not how law enforcement should function in a democracy. And now, LA County has a chance to act.

The Board of Supervisors is voting on an ordinance that would ban law enforcement from concealing their identities while on duty in unincorporated areas of the county. Officers and agents would be required to display visible identification and agency affiliation when interacting with the public. The law includes exemptions for medical masks, motorcycle helmets, SWAT operations, and undercover assignments, but would end the practice of anonymous officers engaging in public enforcement actions.

Federal officials claim that masking agents protects them from retaliation. But critics, including legal experts and community leaders, say that unidentified armed agents operating in secret resemble authoritarian policing tactics — not public safety. Residents deserve to know who is detaining their neighbors, entering their homes, or pulling them into unmarked vans.

Transparency is essential to trust. Accountability is impossible without identification.

We call on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to:

• Fully pass the ordinance banning identity concealment by on-duty officers
• Stand firm against legal challenges from the federal government
• Affirm that no agency, including ICE, is above public accountability

The people of LA County have the right to know who is policing their streets. Sign this petition to demand transparency, safety, and justice for all.

Photo: LA Times