Title
Adding Chapter 268B to the Legislative Code to require law enforcement officers to conduct law enforcement operations without a mask or facial covering unless certain exceptions apply.
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WHEREAS, transparency and accountability in law enforcement operations are essential to maintaining public trust; and
WHEREAS, obscuring the identity of law enforcement authorities erodes the trust that is necessary for the effective enforcement of the city’s ordinances;
WHEREAS, across the country, state and local law enforcement respond to calls in full uniform, including to calls to dangerous situations, violent crime, or situations that may threaten their well-being, and do so without relying on a face covering to obscure their identity;
WHEREAS, no justification by law enforcement has been provided to adequately explain why an individual officer's discretion to wear a mask or facial covering is essential to the operations or safety of law enforcement, and no federal law or agency explicitly requires masking from a law enforcement officer performing their duties.
WHEREAS; masked law enforcement is antithetical to this City’s deeply-held commitment to government transparency and accountability, and historically, law enforcement officers have been expected to be identifiable when dealing with the public, detaining people, and making arrests.
WHEREAS, absent personal identification or identifiable facial characteristics, masked law enforcement interactions render it nearly impossible to report or hold officers accountable for unprofessional behavior or conduct, even in instances of violent activity;
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, section 609.735, has been legally effective for over 100 years and provides that it is a misdemeanor for a person to conceal their identity in a public place with a robe, mask, or other disguise unless certain specified exceptions apply;
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, section 609.735, was enacted in 1923 for the primary purpose of preventing K...
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