California’s “secret police” bill endangers local officers

Editor’s note: Senate Bill 627, signed into law in 2025 in California, prohibits local law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings while on duty unless certain exceptions apply. Supporters say the law — also known as the “No Secret Police Act” — promotes transparency, while opponents warn it exposes local officers to lawsuits and limits their ability to safely perform their duties.

By Brian R. Marvel, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)

Let me be clear at the outset: SB 627 must be fixed — and we will fix it.

I am deeply disappointed that California’s elected leaders passed Senate Bill 627 into law. In my decades serving as a peace officer and eight years representing more than 87,000…