To the Washington State Legislature and the Governor of Washington:

Across the country, people are witnessing a dangerous breakdown of a basic democratic norm:
armed law-enforcement officers operating in public without clear identification, accountability, or local oversight.

In Washington State, this is unacceptable.

When officers refuse to identify themselves, even to local police, the public is asked to trust power it cannot see, question, or hold responsible. That is not public safety. It is a recipe for abuse, impersonation, and civil-rights violations.

Washington has the authority and the obligation to act.

We call on the Legislature to pass the Washington No Secret Police Act, a commonsense public-safety law that ensures:

• All law-enforcement officers operating in Washington visibly identify themselves
• Masked or unidentified enforcement is prohibited except in narrow, legitimate circumstances
• Body-worn cameras are used during joint operations when local agencies require them
• Warrants are required for entry into sensitive nonpublic spaces like schools, hospitals, shelters, courthouses, and places of worship
• Washington residents have a clear civil-rights remedy when these standards are violated
• This legislation does not block lawful federal enforcement.
• It sets a neutral, generally applicable standard to protect public safety, civil liberties, and democratic accountability inside Washington State.

Democracy does not survive secrecy in the exercise of force.

We urge Washington lawmakers to pass the No Secret Police Act and draw a clear, public line now before unaccountable enforcement becomes normalized.

No secret police in our state. Not now. Not ever.