By Sgt. Carl Tennenbaum, SFPD (Ret.), Sonoma County Community for Law Enforcement Accountability Now (CLEAN)
As a former police officer who spent 32 years working with the public, I know that trust between the community and the cops is the foundation of good policing. That is why I support two important bills before the California Legislature: SB 627 (No Secret Police Act) and SB 805 (No Vigilantes Act) .
These measures, sponsored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez, Scott Wiener, and Jesse Arreguín, address an alarming trend of law enforcement officers conducting operations while masked, making them unidentifiable and unaccountable to the public they serve.
Why Transparency Matters
In recent months, Californians have witnessed disturbing incidents of gangs of masked individuals jumping out of unmarked vehicles and violently detaining people without identifying themselves or stating their purpose. These dramatic incidents sow confusion, fear, and a breakdown in trust between our communities and those sworn to protect them.
SB 627 would prohibit law enforcement officers from covering their faces during public interactions except for very limited reasons: medical necessity, wildfire smoke, or specialized tactical operations.
SB 805 complements this by requiring all officers—local, state, or federal—to display visible identification such as a name or badge number. It also bans bounty hunters from participating in immigration enforcement.
The Safety Argument Falls Short
Opponents of these bills, including many police officers and a majority of law enforcement unions, argue that masking protects officers from retaliation or harassment. Officer safety matters. But California already has robust protections in place: confidentiality of home addresses, legal safeguards, and security protocols that protect officers and their families.
In my three decades in law enforcement, building trust, acting with professionalism, and fostering strong community relationships were far more effective shields than anonymity. Hiding one’s identity during routine operations is not only cowardice, it also sends the message that police see themselves as a force apart from the people, not a service accountable to them.
Masks Send the Wrong Message
Policing in a democracy depends on public consent. The image of masked, unidentifiable officers evokes authoritarian regimes—not transparent, accountable, public institutions.
Identification is more than a formality; it is the starting point for accountability. If an officer acts unlawfully, violates policy, or uses unnecessary force, the public must have a clear path to report it—and that begins with knowing who the officer is.
Transparency does not weaken policing. It strengthens it. It builds the credibility officers need to operate safely and effectively. It is impossible to distinguish masked cops without badges or uniforms from masked vigilantes without badges or uniforms leaping out of an unmarked van in a Home Depot parking lot. We are currently witnessing daily instances of unidentified individuals and gangs engaging in this type of aggressively violent behavior.
A Path Forward for California
Both SB 805 and SB 627 include urgency clauses, meaning they would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature. Together, they set a clear, common‑sense standard in California, that law enforcement will not operate as a secretive, masked force. Officers must engage the public openly, visibly, and accountably.
These bills are supported by community groups like the Sonoma County Community for Law Enforcement Now (CLEAN), and the California Coalition for Sheriff’s Oversight (CCSO), not because they are “anti‑police,” but because they are pro‑accountability, pro‑professionalism, and pro‑trust.
Passing these bills will send a strong message: In California, law enforcement works with the public, and is not above it or hidden from it.
The Choice Before Us
We have all seen what happens when trust between law enforcement and the community collapses. Restoring it is difficult. Maintaining it is far easier—and it starts with basic transparency.
Masked policing has no place in a democratic society. Visible identification and open engagement should be the standard, not the exception.
I urge the California Legislature to pass SB 805 and SB 627, and for the Governor to sign them into law without delay. In Sonoma County and across our state, we deserve a policing system built on trust, accountability, and openness—not secrecy.
Carl Tennenbaum is a retired police sergeant and Secretary of the Sonoma County Community for Law Enforcement Now (CLEAN), and the California Coalition for Sheriff’s Oversight. He advocates for criminal justice reform through transparency, accountability, and building community trust in policing.
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