1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand immediate state action to compel the Los Angeles Police Department to enforce California’s “No Secret Police Act,” which prohibits federal law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty. Chief Jim McDonnell’s public refusal to uphold this law represents an unacceptable abdication of responsibility that undermines state authority and places vulnerable Californians at risk. The state must respond decisively by withholding state funds from LAPD or placing the department under direct state oversight until compliance is achieved. The Legislature enacted this law following immigration raids that deliberately obscured federal agents’ identities, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Chief McDonnell’s dismissal of this policy as “not well thought out” does not excuse his department from enforcing it. His unwillingness to confront federal agents ignores the fundamental principle that state law enforcement exists to protect residents from unlawful conduct, regardless of who commits it. California’s most vulnerable residents—immigrants and their families—deserve protection from masked federal agents operating with impunity in our communities. I urge you to exercise your authority to ensure LAPD complies with California law through financial consequences or enhanced state oversight.