LAPD Will Not Enforce California SB 627 “No Secret Police Act,” Citing Safety and Risk of Armed Confrontation
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced the department will not enforce California Senate Bill 627 — the “No Secret Police Act” — citing officer and public safety risks, the prospect of armed confrontation between agencies, and a current federal stay on the law.
Key takeaways
- LAPD will not take steps to enforce SB 627; Chief McDonnell argued enforcement risks armed conflict between agencies (Fox News, ABC7, LA Times).
- SB 627 took effect Jan. 1, 2026 after being signed in Sept. 2025 but is under federal legal challenge and a temporary stay (LA Times, FOX11 / Fox LA).
- McDonnell emphasized longstanding LAPD policy limiting cooperation with ICE on immigration to protect community trust while continuing federal partnerships on terrorism and major events (LA Times).
Why McDonnell says LAPD will not enforce SB 627
Chief Jim McDonnell laid out three central reasons in interviews and at a January press event: the risk of creating armed confrontations between agencies, the existence of a federal judicial stay on the law, and the LAPD’s long-standing policy designed to maintain community trust.
Escalation risk: McDonnell warned that enforcement “could dangerously escalate encounters between armed officers from different agencies.” He framed the idea of one armed agency confronting another over what “would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction” as unnecessary and dangerous (LA Taco, ABC7).
“The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction, it doesn’t make any sense,” McDonnell said.
Federal stay: The law is currently subject to federal litigation and a temporary statewide enforcement pause; McDonnell said acting ahead of the courts would needlessly heighten tensions (LA Times, FOX11 / Fox LA).
Community trust: The LAPD has avoided helping ICE with immigration enforcement since 1979, McDonnell noted, to encourage victims and witnesses — including immigrants — to report crimes without fear. At the same time, he underlined that the department continues to partner with federal agencies on counterterrorism, human trafficking, and major-event security (LA Times).
Legal and political backdrop
SB 627 — branded by some as the No Secret Police Act — bars most law-enforcement officers in California from concealing their identity while on duty. Supporters call it a transparency measure; opponents, including federal officials, assert it is unconstitutional because it interferes with federal law enforcement and endangers agents and families who use masks for protection (FOX11 / Fox LA, Fox News).
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the federal government have challenged SB 627 under the Supremacy Clause. A federal judge issued a stay, and a stipulated agreement has paused statewide enforcement while courts review the case — a primary reason McDonnell cited for not moving to enforce the law locally (LA Times, ABC7).
Political pushback and debate
State Democrats framed SB 627 as promoting transparency, but some lawmakers criticized McDonnell’s refusal to enforce it. State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), a co-author of the bill, publicly challenged the chief’s comment that a police chief can decline to enforce state law (The LA Local).
Conversely, conservative commentators and law-and-order advocates described McDonnell’s stance as a pragmatic safety-first approach. Civil-liberties and immigrant-rights groups counter that masks can conceal identity and reduce accountability. The dispute underscores the tension between officer safety and public transparency (Boing Boing, LA Mag, LA Taco).
How federal and local policing intersect
McDonnell emphasized that the LAPD still cooperates with federal agencies when public safety requires it — for major events, counterterrorism and organized-crime investigations — while maintaining policies that limit ICE collaboration on routine immigration enforcement to promote community trust (LA Times).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic: Continued federal-local cooperation on major events and security can bring funding and contracts to Hesperia; strained relations could affect grants and operational support.
Political: Locally, McDonnell’s stance may be viewed by conservatives as prioritizing public safety over symbolic enforcement; local officials who favor strict enforcement could clash with police leaders.
Social: Hesperia’s immigrant families may rely on LAPD-style policies that avoid assisting ICE for reporting crimes; at the same time, some residents will demand clarity on federal agents’ accountability and identification.
Practical takeaway: Residents should report crimes and cooperate with local police regardless of immigration status. Local leaders should monitor the court case and consider policies that balance safety and legal compliance.
Reporting and sources
McDonnell’s comments were made on Fox LA’s “Good Day LA” and at a January press event discussing 2025 crime data and departmental priorities. Coverage and reporting include local and national outlets with consistent reporting on the chief’s position: Fox LA / FOX11, Fox News, ABC7, LA Times, LA Mag, LA Taco, and Boing Boing.
Key source links: Fox News · ABC7 · LA Times · FOX11 / Fox LA · LA Taco · Boing Boing · LA Mag · The LA Local.
Reporting note: SB 627’s legal outcome will determine whether local agencies ever face a concrete enforcement choice. For now, Chief McDonnell’s public refusal to enforce the law in Los Angeles places the next moves with the courts and ongoing dialogue among state lawmakers, local police leaders and federal officials.
