The following statement by Takoma Park Police Chief Antonio DeVaul addresses recent concerns raised by law enforcement leaders regarding federal immigration enforcement activities and clarifies the standards expected of all law enforcement agencies operating in Takoma Park.
The statement, seen in its entirety below, outlines the legal framework, professional obligations, and guiding principles that govern policing in the city, with an emphasis on constitutional compliance, public safety, and accountability:
“Many law enforcement officials have voiced concerns about the tactics federal immigration enforcement officers are using. The International Association Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), organizations to which I belong, have called for a review of the tactics used by federal law enforcement. I share these concerns and want to reaffirm the rule of law and what we expect from federal law enforcement officers conducting activities in Takoma Park.
Our city is not a lawless zone. Every agency conducting enforcement activity here must comply with the United States Constitution, Maryland State Law, and the professional standards long required of American policing.
Police officers in Takoma Park swear a constitutional oath to protect life, uphold the rule of law, and defend the rights of all persons within Takoma Park. That oath and our code of ethics govern our conduct and informs our expectations of all agencies operating in our community.
Accordingly, we publicly affirm the following Three Principles:
1. Non-Participation in Civil Immigration Enforcement
Our mission is to serve and protect all residents, regardless of immigration status. Therefore, Takoma Park police officers do not take part in federal civil immigration enforcement. Immigration enforcement is a federal civil matter. When local police engage in immigration enforcement, it erodes community trust, reduces crime reporting, and compromises public safety.
2. Duty to Intervene and Report Unlawful Conduct
The duty to intervene does not disappear because an officer’s badge is federal. If any agent engages in unlawful detention, excessive force, lack of valid judicial authorization, or civil-rights violations, our officers retain both authority and the obligation to intervene and to report such conduct through appropriate legal channels.
3. Protection of All Residents
Constitutional protections apply to everyone, not only U.S. citizens. No individual in our city should fear calling 911, seeking help, or cooperating with us because of immigration status. Public safety depends on trust, transparency, and accountability, not fear.
Federal immigration enforcement personnel working in Takoma Park must follow the constitutional standards and professional expectations that govern law-enforcement activity in our city. Federal agents are expected to clearly identify themselves, display agency affiliation, act pursuant to valid judicial warrants, and respect due process. Masked, unidentified, or unaccountable law enforcers that instill fear rather than ensure safety are inconsistent with the tenets of democratic policing and will not be normalized in this community.
The City of Takoma Park stands for constitutional governance, human dignity, and public safety rooted in trust. Federal agents who operate in our city are expected to do the same.”
