- “This lawsuit is about whether the federal government can continue to terrorize our communities in secrecy.” – Cristine Soto DeBerry, executive director of Prosecutors Alliance Action
LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors Alliance Action is urging a federal judge to reject a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit that seeks to block California’s new No Secret Police Act, warning that masked and unidentifiable federal agents undermine public trust, weaken prosecutions and threaten public safety across the state.
In an amicus brief filed this week in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Prosecutors Alliance Action argues that the federal challenge should fail because the state has a strong and legitimate interest in requiring transparency and accountability from any law enforcement officers policing California communities.
The No Secret Police Act, also known as Senate Bill 627, is a first-in-the-nation law that prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks while carrying out policing activities in California. The measure, which takes effect Jan. 1, includes explicit exemptions for active undercover operations and investigations. Prosecutors Alliance Action was a co-sponsor of the legislation…