By Brad Devereaux
mlive.com
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — In response to community criticism, Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET) officers are no longer allowed to wear masks, the department announced Wednesday, Aug. 6 .
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief David Boysen said he began reviewing the policies on masking months ago and added language to limit when masks could be used.
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Now, the department has announced KVET officers will no longer be using masks.
“After hearing the concerns raised by the community, it’s clear that even these additional precautions were not sufficient to maintain community trust,” Boysen said. “On Aug. 5, 2025 , staff were notified that use of masks was suspended effective immediately.”
Officials may revisit the decision in the future, depending on changing circumstances, the chief said.
“At this time, I believe this is the right step to avoid contributing further to public fear or uncertainty,” Boysen said.
People posted videos of masked officers online and shared concerns, asking why officers would need to cover their faces.
People made comments about masked officers at the Monday, Aug. 4 , Kalamazoo City Commission meeting.
“It’s a slippery slope,” resident Joana Babcock said.
“It’s not ICE, but we should be concerned because it feels like soft launching reactions to ICE-esque policing tactics,” she said, joining a group of people holding banners in front of City Hall Monday .
Boysen said KVET investigators operating in undercover roles have been permitted to wear masks in order to protect their identities since the 1990s.
“Recognizing that this practice might raise concerns — particularly in light of the current national discourse around law enforcement and federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement , I began reviewing our internal policies several months ago,” Boysen said in a news release.
The debate has reached Lansing , where lawmakers are considering a bill to ban use of masks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin introduced a bill with other Democrats that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to unmask in July.
KVET is made up of officers from multiple jurisdictions and primarily targets drugs in the area.
This change only impacts KVET — there hasn’t been a mask policy for other KDPS officers, spokesperson Zach Hamelton said.
Only KVET officers were allowed to wear masks, primarily so they could participate in undercover work without making their identity’s known, he said.
Do you think removing masks will meaningfully improve community trust in law enforcement?
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