SEATTLE — Washington law enforcement officers can no longer wear face coverings to conceal their identities under a new law signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson.
The measure, Senate Bill 5855, took effect immediately after Ferguson signed it on March 19. While the legislation was driven in part by concerns over masked federal immigration agents detaining people during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, the law applies broadly to federal, state and local law enforcement officers in Washington.
Ferguson signed the bill at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle, joined by lawmakers, advocates and local officials.
Under the law, officers may still wear face coverings in certain situations, including for personal protective equipment, helmets, SWAT operations and religious reasons. But they can no longer cover their faces in a way that hides who they are while carrying out law enforcement duties, the Washington State Standard reports.
People detained by officers who are unlawfully masked can sue in the officer’s official capacity, which could lead to monetary damages.
Washington law already requires officers to be “reasonably identifiable,” such as through a name on a uniform, but it had not directly addressed face coverings, according to the Washington State Standard.
Washington is not alone in considering this kind of policy. Other states and local governments have looked at similar restrictions, though a comparable California measure was blocked earlier this year. One distinction supporters point to is that Washington’s law applies to all law enforcement agencies, rather than singling out federal officers.
Ferguson also signed another public safety-related bill on March 19. House Bill 2165 makes it a gross misdemeanor to impersonate a law enforcement officer. That law takes effect in mid-June.
Do laws like this reflect a lack of trust in law enforcement — and how does that impact the way officers do their jobs?
Police1 readers respond:
- Retired after 31 years in the People’s Republic of Washington. Last in the nation for officers per capita. Can’t keep or hire enough. Wonder why?
- This is another act to fight law and order. The pendulum continues to swing out of control until the whole system crumbles. Instead of wasting time fighting police, these law makers should be helping stop crime. Sad. Signs of Rome crumbling.
- Are they passing a law prohibiting criminals, protesters, and demonstrators from wearing face coverings?
