A new ordinance was proposed to the Jackson city council Tuesday that would limit or ban the use of ski masks, or “shiesty” masks, in the capital city.
Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade stood before the council during the weekly meeting to plead for their help in “building” the ordinance. The chief explained to the council more people, primarily young men, are donning the masks as of late.
Wade said the proliferation of mask-wearing is partially in response to JPD’s introduction of facial recognition technology in public spaces, a tech that is rendered useless when faces are fully covered.
“We have young men in our community who are walking around with a ski mask on,” Wade said, noting they are doing in sweltering heat to stay anonymous to cameras and law enforcement. “I see them down in south Jackson specifically on bicycles with no shirts on with ski masks on. I see them on video surveillance inside businesses. It’s terrifying when you’re inside a business and someone walks in with a shiesty mask on.”
Other cities, like Philadelphia, New York City, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., have issued restrictions on mask-wearing to bolster public safety, though the latter three eventually repealed or tabled such ordinances over racial profiling or First Amendment concerns.
“We’re not trying to violate anybody’s constitutional rights, but we’ve got to make sure that our citizens are safe,” Wade said.
Jackson city attorney Drew Martin supplied a proposed ordinance to the council, though no vote was held.
