State Rep. Brian Burnett: Washington’s mask ban misses the mark

By State Rep. Brian Burnett

As a former sheriff, I have spent my career standing between order and chaos, often in moments when emotions run high and danger is real. That experience is why I strongly oppose Washington’s proposed ban on law enforcement officers wearing face coverings while on duty.

This legislation, Senate Bill 5855, is being sold as a transparency measure. In reality, it puts officers at risk, ignores recent history, and sends yet another signal that political leaders in this state do not have the backs of the men and women who protect our communities.

Let me be clear about something up front. No one is arguing that a state trooper pulling someone over for speeding or a local officer walking or driving a routine patrol should be wearing a mask. In normal, day-to-day policing, officers should be visible, approachable, and clearly identifiable. That is already the standard in Washington, and it works.

But that is not what this bill is really about.

This proposal ignores the reality that some law enforcement operations occur in volatile, hostile environments involving actors bent on chaos, intimidation, or violence. In those situations, masks are not about secrecy. They are a layer of protection. They protect officers from retaliation, from doxxing, and from threats that extend far beyond a single encounter and reach into their homes and families.

Washington has lived through years of hostility toward law enforcement. We saw the rise of the Defund the Police movement, sweeping restrictions passed without meaningful input from officers, and public officials who were quick to criticize police but slow to defend them. At the same time, officers and their families became targets, harassed online, followed home, and exposed by activists who knew exactly how to weaponize personal information.

That context matters. Pretending it does not is reckless.

Supporters of this bill argue that banning masks will prevent criminals from impersonating police. That claim does not hold up. Anyone willing to commit a felony can still wear a fake badge or uniform. What this ban actually does is make it easier for bad actors to identify real officers and then target them later. That danger is real, and it has already played out across the country.

Federal agents, state troopers, and local officers alike now face credible threats from organized groups and politically motivated extremists. In an era of increasing political violence from the left, personal protective measures are not optional. They are common sense.

Washington already has a law requiring officers to be reasonably identifiable. Badges, marked vehicles, uniforms, and agency insignia are already required. This bill goes further, and it goes too far.

California passed a similar law last year. The U.S. Department of Justice is now suing, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and endangers officers. Washington lawmakers are pushing ahead anyway, ignoring serious concerns about federal supremacy, legal exposure, and officer safety.

I am also deeply concerned about the liability this bill creates. It would allow lawsuits against officers and their agencies simply because a mask was worn during an encounter. Counties and cities would bear the cost, even as they struggle to recruit officers and keep public safety staffing levels stable.

Accountability in law enforcement matters. I demanded it as a sheriff. But accountability is not achieved by stripping officers of basic safety tools, and transparency does not require exposing officers to retaliation in a political climate that has grown increasingly hostile.

As a sheriff, my job was not just to enforce the law. It was to protect the deputies who put on the uniform every day and ask them to do difficult, dangerous work on behalf of the public. That responsibility does not end when politics get loud.

Washington lawmakers should slow down, listen to law enforcement professionals, and abandon this misguided ban. If they choose not to, they should at least be honest about the tradeoff they are making. This bill prioritizes symbolism over safety and politics over people.

Our communities deserve better. So do our officers.

State Rep. Brian Burnett, R-Chelan, has over 25 years in law enforcement, including 12 years as the Chelan County Sheriff. He serves on both the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and the House Community Safety Committee.