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Gig Harbor officials back state bill on face coverings for law enforcement
Summary
City officials told council they support Senate Bill 5,855, which would broaden a state prohibition on masks to cover “face coverings” while preserving exceptions for uniforms and health emergencies; the police department said local operational need is limited to specialized units.
The Gig Harbor City Council’s study session on Jan. 15 included a brief request for the city to sign on in support of Senate Bill 5,855, a state measure addressing the use of face coverings by law enforcement.
The chair asked council members for concurrence to add the city’s name to a support letter for the bill, saying it would demonstrate backing for officers while preserving narrow exceptions for uniformed duties and public-health emergencies. The chair also said the city’s lobbyist recommended signing on without testifying.
A police representative told council that historically face coverings were used for covert operations such as narcotics and vice investigations, and that Gig Harbor’s patrol operations have not required face coverings other than in specialized contexts (for example, regional SWAT deployments). "When I look at the type of law enforcement the department conducts, we're not in that avenue of law enforcement," the representative said, adding the department can review policy language and special-ops standards as needed.
Council members expressed support for signing onto the bill and asked staff to coordinate with the department on any necessary policy clarifications. The chair said they would sign the letter after the meeting.
The request at the study session was for council concurrence to be listed as a supporting jurisdiction when staff files the sign-on; no formal council vote was taken at the study session.
