Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters has proposed a ban on law enforcement officers wearing masks or other facial coverings while performing their duties in the city. The proposal, dubbed the "Alex Pretti Detroit No Masks Ordinance," aims to prevent officers from enforcing laws with impunity and to ensure that citizens can identify them.
Waters' decision comes after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an American citizen who was killed by two federal agents in Minneapolis while filming immigration enforcement on January 24. Waters believes that if law enforcement officers could be identified, it would help prevent future tragedies like Pretti's.
Under the proposed ordinance, local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel are prohibited from wearing masks or other facial coverings to conceal their identities while performing duties in Detroit. Penalties for non-compliance will be determined by the city law department.
Waters' proposal follows a growing national trend of cities banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks during enforcement actions. Los Angeles County and Philadelphia have already implemented similar ordinances, and Denver and Jackson County, Missouri are considering their own proposals.
However, critics argue that local mask bans may not effectively deter federal immigration agents from covering their faces. In Los Angeles County, for instance, officials acknowledge that enforcement against federal agents remains unclear, and they would only pursue cases referred by law enforcement agencies themselves.
The proposed ordinance must be approved by the Detroit City Council before it can take effect. If adopted, it will aim to promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement, ensuring that citizens can trust their officers to enforce laws without fear of intimidation or reprisal.
Waters' decision comes after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an American citizen who was killed by two federal agents in Minneapolis while filming immigration enforcement on January 24. Waters believes that if law enforcement officers could be identified, it would help prevent future tragedies like Pretti's.
Under the proposed ordinance, local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel are prohibited from wearing masks or other facial coverings to conceal their identities while performing duties in Detroit. Penalties for non-compliance will be determined by the city law department.
Waters' proposal follows a growing national trend of cities banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks during enforcement actions. Los Angeles County and Philadelphia have already implemented similar ordinances, and Denver and Jackson County, Missouri are considering their own proposals.
However, critics argue that local mask bans may not effectively deter federal immigration agents from covering their faces. In Los Angeles County, for instance, officials acknowledge that enforcement against federal agents remains unclear, and they would only pursue cases referred by law enforcement agencies themselves.
The proposed ordinance must be approved by the Detroit City Council before it can take effect. If adopted, it will aim to promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement, ensuring that citizens can trust their officers to enforce laws without fear of intimidation or reprisal.
. It's crazy that federal agents think they're above the law just 'cause they wear a mask 
. If you're doing something wrong, why hide your face? Waters is right on point here. The whole thing with Alex Pretti was super sketchy and it's about time we make sure this kind of thing never happens again 
. I mean, think about it, if you're just trying to do your job, why do you need a mask to conceal who you are? It's not like it's going to stop the bad guys from committing crimes 
. We should be promoting transparency and accountability in law enforcement, not hiding behind masks 
. The fact that some cities are already doing this is music to my ears 
! It's about time we take a stand for what's right 
.
I think it's a good idea that we want to make sure our cops are easily identifiable, but at the same time, I don't know if banning masks on law enforcement is the way to go. 
And what about all the times we see cops wearing masks at protests or riots - does that suddenly make them bad guys? 
I'm not saying we want cops to hide behind their masks forever, but maybe there's a happy medium here... like they have to wear a ID badge or something? 
but isn't it a bit tricky? I mean, if law enforcement officers are wearing masks all the time, how do we know they're really just doing their job and not trying to intimidate people? And what about when they're working with other agencies or in situations where anonymity is necessary? Can't we find some middle ground here? Like maybe they have to show ID or wear a badge with their name on it? Something that still shows transparency but also acknowledges the complexities of law enforcement. 
... and wat's the diff if they're wearing masks or not? do we really need to see their faces to feel safe? maybe that's just me but i think this whole thing is like, trying to fix one symptom instead of addressing the root problem...
! I mean, who knew masks on cops were a thing? It's like they're hiding something! I feel for Alex Pretti's family tho, it's just not fair that he got taken out without his mask showing 
. Waters is all about transparency and accountability, which is cool, but can we really trust that the city will enforce this? I'm thinking of LA County, where it's like, "Hey, federal agents are exempt"... doesn't make sense 
I'm not sure if this is a good idea... I mean, on the one hand, Alex Pretti's death was really senseless 
, and it would be nice to know who's behind the mask 
, but at the same time, what if it just makes law enforcement officers more paranoid? Like, they might start wearing masks all the time even when they're not doing anything illegal 
. And what about people who genuinely need to wear masks for medical reasons? It's already hard enough getting a mask without having to deal with this kind of ordinance 
. Plus, have we really thought through how this is going to affect federal agents and other law enforcement personnel? 
. Plus, with more transparency comes accountability, which is super important for keeping our communities safe 
. I'm not sure if it'll work for all states though 
. I mean, on one hand, it's cool that Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters is tryin' to promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement - we should all want that 
. Anyway, only time'll tell if Waters' proposal will make a real difference 
.
. she thinks it'll help prevent more tragedies like Alex Pretti