Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte said Monday he opposes a proposed county ordinance to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, calling into question a local reaction to national immigration raids by federal officers.
Forte sent a letter to Jackson County legislators, saying he believes the ordinance, which was introduced by Chair Manny Abarca, was created without transparency and creates safety issues for officers. Lawmakers have a duty to prioritize community concerns above politics, Forte said.
“Passing legislation that is known to be unenforceable risks creating confusion and placing both officers and the public in difficult and potentially unsafe situations,” the letter read. “Further, giving false hope to constituents by passing an ordinance that is known to be unenforceable is unethical.”
Forte also said he fears his officers could be viewed as interfering with federal operations, which could lead to a “dangerous confrontation.”
Abarca introduced the measure last month and named it the Renee Good Transparency and Accountability Ordinance in a nod to the Minnesota woman killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in January. Good lived in Kansas City for some time, attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City for about a year.
The measure seeks to require federal immigration agents and other law enforcement officials to show their faces and badge numbers while working in the county. Violations could garner internal disciplinary action, increased exposure to civil liability and misdemeanor criminal penalties.
In a shot at Forte, Abarca said the county should not “look to the governed to ask them how we’d like them to be accountable.” Abarca said he has discussed the issue with Forte, specifically concerns about weather conditions and motorcycle riding, when faces may need to be covered. Abarca said he was appalled by local law enforcement officers posting pictures of themselves in masks on social media.
"Images of local officers wearing masks and their justifications for why the call of accountability towards ICE leave me wondering, what’s to hide with masks, names and badge numbers displayed for anyone to see?” Abarca said. “Accountability in law enforcement shouldn’t be a problem for good cops.”
Abarca was also at the front of efforts to confirm that a large warehouse in Kansas City is being considered for an ICE detention facility.
