Across the Portland metro area and the country, masked, unidentified individuals claiming to be federal agents are abducting residents off the street and outside of schools, homes and businesses. If someone is depriving you of your freedom, you have a right to know who they are.
The Right to Know Who's Policing Ordinance would prohibit all law enforcement from wearing face coverings to intentionally conceal their identities, require them to display identification, and direct local police to investigate and verify that individuals who are attempting to detain someone are indeed law enforcement.
Other cities and states are taking similar steps to protect their communities, including Los Angeles, New York City, and the states of California, New Jersey, and Virginia. With this legislation, we can help protect Portlanders from kidnappings and build more public trust in law enforcement through accountability and transparency.
Federal law requires all law enforcement to display visible identification, and the FBI has acknowledged the need for federal agents to cooperate with requests for identification as people are increasingly posing as law enforcement to commit crimes.
It's simple: If federal agents want to supersede state and local laws, they must first prove they are federal agents.
There was a presentation and public hearing on the draft ordinance at the Jan. 13 Community and Public Safety Committee meeting, and feedback is being incorporated. The final ordinance will be voted on at a future meeting.