I am writing in support of this ordinance prohibiting all law enforcement officers from wearing masks to conceal their identity. This is essential transparency in a democracy where law enforcement officers serve the people. Before Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, I believed that the clarity of the Bill of Rights did not require specific city legislation. I believed that the rejection of masked law enforcement agents, and the decent treatment of children were American values that were self-evident. These protections are in our constitution's Bill of Rights. This city legislation specifically addressing the need to protect Milwaukeeans from a surge of masked federal ICE agents is necessary. As a longtime homeowner in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, I can tell you that this is something we insist on. Thank you to Alder Dimitrijevic for being a sponsor of this legislation. The federal government’s treatment of the Twin Cities, however, shows that our city must put these assumed American values explicitly into law. Thank you to all the Alder people in support of this ordinance.
Sincerely,
Michael Pointer Mace
First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee