1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Dear State Legislators, We urge you to immediately introduce and pass legislation modeled on California’s No Secret Police Act, which requires all law enforcement officers—state and federal—to: 1. Wear clearly visible identification showing their name, badge number, and agency, and 2. Keep their faces uncovered during operations, except in narrowly defined safety situations. These simple, commonsense requirements are vital to protecting the rights of all residents. Law enforcement must be accountable to the public—not anonymous agents operating without oversight. The need for such legislation is urgent. Recent increases in federal funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) point to a likely expansion in ICE operations across the country. This comes at a time when ICE has already been using disturbing tactics, including unmarked vehicles, plainclothes officers, and agents refusing to identify themselves while detaining individuals in our communities. These tactics are chillingly reminiscent of secret police forces in authoritarian regimes. If we do not act now, we risk normalizing law enforcement operations that are hidden from public accountability and immune to legal redress. Requiring officers to identify themselves and their agencies is a baseline standard in any democratic society. These reforms will not hinder law enforcement—they will strengthen trust and protect communities from abuse. We urge you to take swift action before further harm is done. Let your state lead in defending transparency, civil rights, and the rule of law.