By Tracy McCray
POA President
As the immigration debate once again takes center stage in the national spotlight, San Francisco’s front-line officers find themselves exactly where we often are right in the middle.
We’re a sanctuary city. That’s not a slogan it’s a legal and operational reality. We don’t enforce federal immigration law. We don’t inquire about immigration status. We don’t participate in ICE raids. And per Department General Orders, we are explicitly prohibited from doing so. These policies reflect the values of our city, and as officers, we follow those directives.
But that doesn’t mean we’re off the hook.
When demonstrators take to the streets to protest federal immigration enforcement—or when federal agencies call for help because a situation has turned volatile—we’re still expected to show up. Not to enforce immigration law, but to maintain the peace, protect lives, and uphold First Amendment rights for everyone involved. And we do it, with professionalism, restraint, and courage even when the political climate is anything but.
The second weekend in June proved exactly that. We helped facilitate one of the largest free speech demonstrations in the city since the George Floyd protests. Thousands of people came out to voice strong, passionate opinions and there was no violence. That’s not by luck. That’s because we worked closely with community partners and event organizers ahead of time to ensure a safe environment. But we also made it clear: chaos and violence would not be tolerated. If things turned, we would shut it down quickly. That shared understanding kept the focus where it belonged on free speech, not destruction.
Still, while we’re busy keeping the peace, legislation like State Senator Scott Wiener’s newly introduced bill takes aim at officers’ ability to do just that. His proposal to ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces outside of a few narrow circumstances is framed as a transparency measure. But in reality, it handcuffs officers at a time when they need flexibility the most. Face coverings serve a clear purpose: to protect identities from doxing and retaliation, to shield officers from smoke, chemicals, or biohazards, and to preserve officer safety during volatile crowd situations.
You cannot ask us to stand on the front lines of protest, to be neutral protectors of everyone’s rights and then strip away the tools we need to stay safe.
We’re proud to serve a city that values immigrants and protects civil rights. We’re proud to protect the rights of people to protest even when the protest is directed at us. But we cannot do it if we’re constantly being used as political leverage, with no regard for the risks we face every day.
Laws and policies must reflect the complexity of modern policing not, deny it. Officers need clarity, consistency, and the ability to act decisively to protect everyone including themselves.
We are not federal agents. We are not policy makers. We are peacekeepers and in today’s climate, peacekeeping takes judgment, preparation, community partnerships, and yes, sometimes a protective mask.
Let us do our job and let’s keep the politics out of our safety.
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