Jackson County Leaders Address Masked Law Enforcement, ICE Concerns

Proposed ordinance would require officers to keep faces and badges visible during public interactions.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A community meeting in Kansas City, Missouri addressed concerns about the presence of masked law enforcement officers and ICE activity in Jackson County. Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte and Legislature Chairman Manny Abarca discussed a proposed ordinance that would prohibit officers from wearing masks and require them to keep their faces and badges visible during public interactions.

Why it matters

The meeting and proposed ordinance reflect growing community concerns about transparency and accountability in law enforcement, particularly around immigration enforcement and the use of masked officers.

The details

At the meeting, Abarca said the intent of the ordinance is to ensure officers are clearly identifiable when interacting with residents. Forte supports the goal of transparency but wants changes that would give law enforcement more discretion. Abarca questioned why some in law enforcement opposed mask requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic but now argue masks are needed for officer safety.

  • The community meeting was held on Thursday, February 13, 2026.
  • The proposed ordinance is expected to be discussed further by the Jackson County Legislature in the coming weeks.

The players

Darryl Forte

Jackson County Sheriff who supports the goal of transparency but wants changes to the proposed ordinance.

Manny Abarca

Jackson County Legislature Chairman who is moving forward with the ordinance to prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks and require them to keep their faces and badges visible.

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What they’re saying

“We don't want masked people in our community to make arrests.”

— Darryl Forte, Jackson County Sheriff (kmbc.com)

“During the COVID pandemic, [they] refused to wear masks against the very safety that now we're claiming we need. And so there's some discrepancies on what is safe and what's not, what's justification for hiding from accountability and not.”

— Manny Abarca, Jackson County Legislature Chairman (kmbc.com)

What’s next

The proposed ordinance is expected to be discussed further by the Jackson County Legislature in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This meeting and proposed ordinance highlight the ongoing tensions around transparency and accountability in law enforcement, particularly around immigration enforcement and the use of masked officers. The community is seeking more clarity and visibility from law enforcement during interactions with residents.