A bipartisan pair of state lawmakers announced plans this week to advance a measure that would give Oregon voters the chance to amend the state constitution to explicitly ban the use of “secret police” within the state. Representatives Tom Andersen, a Democrat from South Salem, and Cyrus Javadi, a Republican from Tillamook, said they will introduce legislation in the 2026 short session to send the proposal to the ballot. If passed by the Legislature, the measure would appear before voters in the November 2026 General Election.
The proposal comes amid lingering debates about federal immigration enforcement tactics in Portland and broader concerns about government accountability. Andersen and Javadi said their aim is to establish clear constitutional protections ensuring that law enforcement officers operating in Oregon are identifiable and accountable.
The amendment would prohibit law enforcement officers from concealing their identities with masks or operating in plain, unmarked roles unless specifically exempted. Under the proposal, officers would be required to wear uniforms with visible names and badge numbers. There would be exceptions carved out for specialized units such as SWAT teams and for undercover investigations. Lawmakers say those provisions are designed to balance public safety with the need for transparency, preserving existing practices while addressing fears about unidentifiable enforcement personnel.
Andersen said the effort is meant to respond to what he views as a dangerous erosion of democratic norms. He pointed to incidents in recent years where federal immigration authorities operated in Portland wearing masks and without identifying information, sparking criticism and raising fears of secretive enforcement. He characterized the proposed amendment as a safeguard against authoritarian-style practices that undermine public trust.
Javadi emphasized that the measure is not about party politics but about strengthening the rule of law. He argued that residents should always know who is enforcing the law, describing transparency and accountability as cornerstones of both effective policing and public confidence. Both lawmakers stressed that their collaboration represents a bipartisan commitment to protect civil liberties. While their statements reflected different emphases — Andersen focusing on the threat of authoritarianism and Javadi highlighting constitutional principles — the two said they believe Oregonians will unite around the idea that police must remain visible and responsible to the public.
For a constitutional amendment to reach the ballot in Oregon, it must first win majority approval in both legislative chambers. If Andersen and Javadi’s measure clears that hurdle during the 2026 session, voters would then decide the matter during the general election that November. A simple majority of voters would be required to adopt the amendment. If approved, it would become part of the Oregon Constitution, establishing clear rules against the use of anonymous or masked enforcement personnel in most circumstances.
The proposal arrives during a period when issues of policing, government transparency, and civil liberties remain at the forefront of Oregon’s political conversation. Proponents argue that embedding protections against secretive enforcement into the state constitution would strengthen democratic safeguards for future generations. Critics of similar efforts elsewhere have raised concerns about operational flexibility for law enforcement, though Andersen and Javadi said their draft includes exemptions designed to address those concerns. If successful, Oregon would be among the first states in the nation to explicitly prohibit so-called “secret police” through constitutional language, setting a precedent that could influence debates in other states.