St. Paul City Council passes ordinance prohibiting law enforcement from wearing masks
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The St. Paul City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Wednesday requiring all law enforcement officers conducting operations in St. Paul to not wear masks or facial coverings.
The ordinance is a response to concerns about federal immigration officers wearing facial coverings.
“Over-policed communities are all too familiar with heavily armed and armored law enforcement, and this ordinance is one step towards protecting our residents from zealous federal agents,” council vice president Hwa Jeong Kim said in a statement Wednesday.
The ordinance said wearing masks obscures the officers’ identities and “erodes the trust that is necessary for the effective enforcement of the city’s ordinances.”
It also said another side effect of officers wearing masks is that some people may not be able to hear or understand the officers. Non-native English speakers, people with disabilities and people with speech processing or auditory issues may have trouble interacting with an officer wearing a facial covering, according to the ordinance.
The ordinance makes exceptions in limited circumstances, like officers who are conducting active undercover operations or operations where protective gear is required for physical safety.
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