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CITY ATTORNEY <br />Sonia R. Carvalho <br />CITY MANAGER <br />Alvaro Nuñez <br />CITY CLERK <br />Jennifer L. Hall <br /> <br />20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 <br />TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember-Requested Item Report <br /> <br />DATE <br />July 1, 2025 <br /> <br />TOPIC <br />Law Enforcement Masks <br /> <br />COUNCILMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE <br />Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney to Direct <br />Staff to Prepare an Ordinance Requiring all Law Enforcement Officers Operating in <br />Santa Ana to Wear Clearly Visible Identification (Name or Badge Number) and Prohibit <br />Face Coverings that Obscure Identity During Public Interactions and Resolutions <br />Supporting SB 627 and SB 805. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION <br />Recent protests and immigration enforcement actions involving masked and unidentified <br />officers have heightened public concern over police transparency and accountability. <br />The presence of unidentified “law enforcement” erodes public trust and can lead to <br />confusion, fear, and impersonation. These incidents raise concerns not only about <br />accountability but also about the chilling effect on civic participation, particularly during <br />peaceful protests or immigration-related enforcement. <br /> <br />Relevant State Legislation <br />• SB 627 (Wiener & Arreguín): As proposed, this bill prohibits law enforcement <br />officers from covering their faces (with exceptions for health/safety) and requires <br />identifiable uniforms. The bill was inspired by reports of federal ICE agents in <br />California conducting operations while masked and refusing to identify <br />themselves. <br /> <br />• SB 805 (Pérez): As proposed, this bill requires officers in California to display a <br />name or badge number and prohibits impersonation, targeting incidents involving <br />people impersonating immigration officers or law enforcement. <br /> <br />Federal Context <br />The National Defense Authorization Act (2021) mandates that federal law enforcement <br />officers responding to civil disturbances display name or ID and agency affiliation. This <br />provision followed public outcry over masked federal agents operating without <br />identification in Washington D.C. and Portland. <br /> <br />