Detroit City Council Seeks to Reveal the Faces of Law Enforcement in Ongoing Effort Against Masked Officers.
A growing national controversy surrounding federal immigration agents wearing masks during enforcement actions has inspired Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters to propose a ban on masked law enforcement officers in the city. The proposed ordinance would prohibit local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel from wearing masks or other facial coverings while performing their duties in Detroit.
Waters' move comes after the tragic death of Alex Pretti, an American citizen who was fatally shot by two federal agents in Minneapolis while filming them during an immigration enforcement incident. The councilwoman's proposal aims to prevent officers from enforcing the law "with impunity" when their faces are hidden and to honor Pretti's memory.
Under the proposed ordinance, Detroit would be one of several cities taking steps to require law enforcement officers to reveal their identities. Los Angeles County and Philadelphia have recently approved similar ordinances, while a proposal is also pending in Jackson County, Missouri.
However, critics argue that local mask bans may not effectively deter federal immigration officers from covering their faces. In some jurisdictions, officials have acknowledged that enforcing against federal agents remains unclear, allowing them to act with impunity and making it difficult for the public to identify officers or seek accountability when misconduct is alleged.
The Detroit City Council must approve the proposed ordinance before it can take effect. If adopted, the city law department would determine how violations are enforced under the new regulations.
A growing national controversy surrounding federal immigration agents wearing masks during enforcement actions has inspired Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters to propose a ban on masked law enforcement officers in the city. The proposed ordinance would prohibit local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel from wearing masks or other facial coverings while performing their duties in Detroit.
Waters' move comes after the tragic death of Alex Pretti, an American citizen who was fatally shot by two federal agents in Minneapolis while filming them during an immigration enforcement incident. The councilwoman's proposal aims to prevent officers from enforcing the law "with impunity" when their faces are hidden and to honor Pretti's memory.
Under the proposed ordinance, Detroit would be one of several cities taking steps to require law enforcement officers to reveal their identities. Los Angeles County and Philadelphia have recently approved similar ordinances, while a proposal is also pending in Jackson County, Missouri.
However, critics argue that local mask bans may not effectively deter federal immigration officers from covering their faces. In some jurisdictions, officials have acknowledged that enforcing against federal agents remains unclear, allowing them to act with impunity and making it difficult for the public to identify officers or seek accountability when misconduct is alleged.
The Detroit City Council must approve the proposed ordinance before it can take effect. If adopted, the city law department would determine how violations are enforced under the new regulations.
I'm all for this move by the Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters! It's about time we start holding our law enforcement in account. I mean, think about it - when you're wearing a mask, who can really know if that officer is doing their job right? It's like, they're hiding behind some kind of anonymity thing 
. And with all these high-profile incidents where officers have been involved in fatalities without being properly identified... it's just not fair to the public.
. Plus, it's about accountability - if someone's committing misconduct and they're hiding behind a mask, how do you even hold them accountable? It's just not right.
. And yeah, maybe some people are worried that federal agents won't follow the rules 
, but come on - if we're gonna make a change, we need to take action and see it through! Detroit's taking a huge step forward here 
.
also i wonder how the city is gonna enforce this if federal agents just dont comply... doesnt that kinda defeat the purpose of having a law in place? 
. What's the solution here? Do we need some new rules, or just more community policing? I'm not sayin' one way's better than the other, but it's like, how do you make sure everyone stays safe and followed the law? Shouldn't that be a no-brainer? 
. Losing someone in such a senseless way is just devastating for his family and loved ones 
. I think it's amazing that Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters is taking steps to make sure this kind of thing never happens again 
. It's not just about protecting public safety, but also about holding our officers accountable for their actions 
so that Alex's memory isn't forgotten 
. I think it's totally reasonable for the city council to want to make sure that our law enforcement officers are being held accountable for their actions. It's just not right that they can hide behind masks and get away with stuff. 
But at the same time, I also don't want to see some kind of unnecessary confrontation between local and federal authorities. Can we just find a way to make it work where everyone can feel safe and respected? 
.
, can't believe they think a simple mask ban will solve anything, like that's gonna stop them from being total power trippers with their guns... and what about all the people who just wanna know who's coming for 'em? 
.
. I mean, who wants to give up their anonymity, especially when it comes to enforcing immigration laws? It's like, what if you're just trying to do your job and some citizen feels threatened or whatever? You gotta have some kind of protection, right?
. So, if the Detroit City Council decides to go through with this proposal, I say bring it on 
. I mean, think about it, Alex Pretti got shot by two guys with their faces hidden... how would his family have known that they were even involved? 
And now they're trying to figure out how to make sure this doesn't happen again? It's like, why didn't we do this a long time ago when I was watching all those cop shows with my dad 
? At least back then, the bad guys always got caught and the good guys always wore their hearts on their sleeves 
.
. I'm all for it, even if some people say it won't work... what's the worst that could happen, right? 