By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The Los Angeles Police Department said it will not enforce a California law banning federal law-enforcement officers from wearing masks during some operations.
• Chief Jim McDonnell said enforcing the ban could create conflict between armed agencies amid ongoing federal immigration enforcement actions.
• The law, known as the No Secret Police Act, took effect Jan. 1 and bars most officers, including federal agents, from wearing face coverings with some exceptions.
• The U.S. Department of Justice is challenging the law’s constitutionality in court.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Police Department announced Thursday that it will not enforce a recently enacted California law prohibiting masked federal law-enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings during enforcement operations.
Wally Skalij/AP
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference that attempting to enforce the state’s ban could lead to conflict between armed agencies and was not practical for officers responding to scenes involving federal personnel.
The law, known as the No Secret Police Act and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2025, took effect Jan. 1 and bars most law-enforcement officers, including federal agents, from covering their faces during official business, with exceptions for undercover assignments, medical masks and tactical gear.
McDonnell said the department remains aligned with federal partners on most enforcement actions, excluding immigration operations, and expressed concern about preserving community trust amid polarized responses to federal immigration enforcement in Southern California.
The law’s enforcement is currently complicated by a federal challenge mounted by the U.S. Department of Justice, which argues the statute may conflict with constitutional principles governing federal authority.