Duties of LE to produce Badge # to citizens

[NYMETS86]

I'm now in Phase III of my FTO program and I'm stumped on this question. This may be simple but I can't find it in my law book and I obviously can't ask the FTO.

The basic question is if I'm accosting a citizen or arresting them, do I need to produce my Badge # if they ask? This came up with another officer the other day in dealing with a teenager.

I'm also a MD county officer. Not sure if the requirements are different by state.

Anyone have any ideas?

:confused:

[leng]

In my county, NoVA if they ask we're required to tell them our name and badge number.

[ChesCopPodz]

I'll tell them my last name and Badge number. Usually I just tell them that it'll be on the ticket/paperwork that they'll be getting and that's enough for them.

[retired]

Why would you not tell a citizen your name and badge number?:confused:

[keith758]

If they want my badge number, I'll give it to them. It's usually an intimidation tactic on their part. Of all of the people who have asked for my badge number, not a one has followed through and done anything.

[NYMETS86]

Hey, thanks for the responses. Reference a reason not to give my badge # and name, I have none. Actually, I always give it when I deal with anyone. The question from my FTO was is there anywhere in the MD Law Article that requires police to produce your badge #. It's something we practice at my department but I'm not sure if it's required by law.

This came up the other day when I went to back up a senior officer at a H.S. The schools in my district are like mini-prisons, just so you know what I'm dealing with here. So the officer is dealing with a citizen in front of the school during the school day. While speaking with the citizen a group of kids are acting like teenagers. Loud, obnoxious, and well you get the picture. He then tells the kids to stop using profanity and to keep it down because they're disturbing the peace. The kids do but then as he is walking away one student uses a few choice words to her friends as they're walking the other way. The officer confronts the student again. He tells her that if she swears one more time she will be placed under arrest for disobeying a lawful order from a PO. She then says she will sue him for wrongfully detaining her and demands his badge #. The student, having later learned, had just started a law class at the school where she learned that whenever you are being unjustly treated by the police you have every right to get the PO's name and badge #.

Well he then places her in cuffs and we eventually went inside and got the students mother to show up at the school. She was released w/o any citations or any further action.

I know there were a lot of things that got ugly here and believe me, my FTO explained all that went wrong. I was stumped though b/c I still can't find it anywhere that we are required to produce our badge #. I am assuming we are required b/c we're public servants, ha-ha-ha, and all. Just can't find it in the book anywhere.

Sorry for the long post...

[flatfoot349]

yeah i usually press it up against their forehead so they can see the imprint in the mirror....just incase they forget when i tell them verbally.................................... :mad: .....

[retired]

Originally posted by flatfoot349
yeah i usually press it up against their forehead so they can see the imprint in the mirror....just incase they forget when i tell them verbally.................................... :mad: .....

Does it bother you if the public asks you for your name and badge number?

[CFPython]

I've never seen it in state law down here, but it's definitely in my agency's written policies.

[NYMETS86]

It doesn't bother me at all to give my name and badge #. As I said before, I give it out freely and believe that as a public servant it's part of the job. The only reason I'm asking is because my FTO wants me to find where it says in the books that we as PO's need to give it out when asked. I have no problem with it and would never care to look it up but again, I'm in FTO and I have to do what he says.

[retired]

Originally posted by NYMETS86
It doesn't bother me at all to give my name and badge #. As I said before, I give it out freely and believe that as a public servant it's part of the job. The only reason I'm asking is because my FTO wants me to find where it says in the books that we as PO's need to give it out when asked. I have no problem with it and would never care to look it up but again, I'm in FTO and I have to do what he says.


The first place I would look is in your departmental policies.

[ta2dcop]

If they ask, I give them one of my buisness cards. If they can't read it, it's not my problem. I just tell them "Its right there on the card."

[sixpanel]

Our badge numbers mean absolutely nothing, so I really don't care if they ask for it. We don't answer by that number, we don't put that number on reports...heck, I don't even know why they are numbered. Waste of space!

[tpcop007]

You want my name lady??? You can't have it I've had this name for 26 years!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[Cop Writer]

Originally posted by keith758
If they want my badge number, I'll give it to them. It's usually an intimidation tactic on their part. Of all of the people who have asked for my badge number, not a one has followed through and done anything.

Hey, follow up with, "Live it, learn it, love it!" that'll bring the complaints in:D

[BrickCop]

We're required to give our name/badge number if asked.

I get a chuckle when they then ask to borrow your pen in order to write it down (or they tell you to write it down for them).

I politley inform them that we are not required to write it down or lend out our pen. I of course take no joy in telling them this. :D

[chinchilla]

Originally posted by flatfoot349
yeah i usually press it up against their forehead so they can see the imprint in the mirror....just incase they forget when i tell them verbally.................................... :mad: .....

Wow. Ive seen that on TV! I think the wording may have been similar too...:rolleyes:

[133MPD]

O-U-8-1-2
give them that as your badge #
:o

[Vtfuzz]

Originally posted by retired
Why would you not tell a citizen your name and badge number?:confused:


We don't have badge numbers! :D

[retired]

Originally posted by Vtfuzz
We don't have badge numbers! :D


That's no excuse, you should create one if necessary, the public has the right to know.:p :D :D

[Vtfuzz]

Originally posted by retired
That's no excuse, you should create one if necessary, the public has the right to know.:p :D :D


One time I actually took my badge off and gave them the number on the back...(my first FTO had suggested it when I was a rook, so I thought I'd give it a shot!) I never heard from the chief of anything, so I never got a good laugh out of it!

[KenW.]

Heck, I give them a business card so my name gets spelled correctly. It has my cell # on it too. I get to play some threatening voicemails for my sgt sometimes. Makes the complainer look bad.

[Cop Writer]

Originally posted by KenW.
Heck, I give them a business card so my name gets spelled correctly. It has my cell # on it too. I get to play some threatening voicemails for my sgt sometimes. Makes the complainer look bad.

That IS the best...

I've filed charges off of threatening voice-mails...won in court too...

[ecpd170]

my dept makes us not that i have nothing to hide or really care if they have it or not but if we dont they will come down on you like a ***** storm

[1sgkelly]

Badges, BADGES; we don

[PeteBroccolo]

If we wanted to play head games with clients, we could point to our chests and make it clear to them that we do NOT wear badges. Even if they point to our forage cap badge, I can honestly tell them that it is a generic regimental badge that is NOT numbered.

However, we ARE issued with identification badges AND cards, which DO have our "regimental", or sequential service file, number which CAN positively identify us (by adding about 450 to our number, we can actually count right back to the March West, but that's a story for another time!).

I have no problem with telling client's my reg#, where I work out of and how to contact my Commander. My note book and video tapes are technically not my property, but belong to the Force, so my Commander can at any time call me in, with my tapes and note books, to review my dealings with clients, and I have no problem with that either.

[KBeecher]

My old department used to give out badge numbers, used them as radio identifiers. Then got big enough had to assign radio identifiers by area.

The badge number was actually a good ploy, because later on we went to using employee numbers. By the time I retired the sergeants had no clue who was wearing what badge number. Then he had to look it up. The only problem was if you were there long enough, you had a real low badge number and they usually knew who you were by the low badge number, or had less lists to look through.

:D

[CHARLIE 21]

if you do your job with the up most of respect for EVERYONE you come in contact with and stay within the boundaries of the law and Dept policy you should be glad to give out your Last name and badge or unit number. i gave a gentleman mine yesterday and he called dispatch and threatned to put a 9mm in my head. why he did'nt do it while i was there busting up his gambling house and taking ALL his money i dont know. Hope he has a great stay in prison when the warrant for Threatning the life of a public official is served on him. :eek:

ps: if youre in FTO and have a question, USE YOUR BEAT PARTNERS!!!! They will be the ones that come to your aid when you go solo.
hope this helps my friend.


the more you sweat on the range, the less you bleed on the streets.

[Joseph]

After 25 years I really couldn't you what our law is but I always gave my name and badge number if they requested it.

[FNA209]

Actually had that request the other day. Having just recently been promoted to Sgt (new number is 175), I responded with the normal info I have used for ten years- I gave the party my name and said "209". The other day, the LT asked me if I had contact with the party after the party called and complained. I said yes.

He said, "Forget about it (it was a nothing complaint), I told the party we don't have a 209 working here. :D

[Monty Ealerman]

Usually, requirements to disclose badge numbers or other identifying information are specified, as Retired suggested, in departmental policies. State legislatures are for the most part satisfied to merely put in place general accountability requirements, the basic need for which is obvious, and the appropriate specifics of which may be very dependent on the situations at hand. Have you ever heard of an undercover officer being required to tell any of his identifying information, even after the bust?

Regards,

Monty

[hawaii50]

In my department, if a citizen wants your name and badge number, we must give to them. Hey, if you must though and if they are not real pleasant people, let them provide their own pen and paper to write your name and badge number. I won't allow them to use my pen and paper, but that is just me. I am not in the "Customer is always right business." So, if I don't provide my information, I could get a complaint and be investigate by the police commission or internal affairs. Don't be afraid to give out your information though. Hope that helps.

take care.

[Sgt Lobster]

Constables & sergeants have numbers on their uniform normally on their epaulettes. Inspectors and above just have the insignia of rank. Some forces area also into name badges etc. If people ask me I'll give them my name and station. It's hard to be annoymous as you have to put your name, rank, number and station on pretty much all documentation we give out.


Lobster.

[Cockney Corner.]

Like Sgt Lobster says, in the UK, if you work for a living, your warrant number is on your uniform. If someone asks, I'll give them my name and station. In fact, I pretty much always give them them the telephone number of the station and my Inspector's name. However, we're not obliged (according to the law) to provide either pen or paper to record this information. And as 99% of the people who asks this are so drunk and/or high they can't remember their own names, no worries!

[irishlad2nv]

Originally posted by NYMETS86
I'm now in Phase III of my FTO program and I'm stumped on this question. This may be simple but I can't find it in my law book and I obviously can't ask the FTO.

The basic question is if I'm accosting a citizen or arresting them, do I need to produce my Badge # if they ask? This came up with another officer the other day in dealing with a teenager.

I'm also a MD county officer. Not sure if the requirements are different by state.

Anyone have any ideas?

:confused:

Well I am in Maryland too and I thought, well ours is our ID # issued by the department in which you work for. I only state this is i know of some departments issuing badges that do have #'s on them, and when someone retires, gets fired, etc..they just issue out that same badge. We do not have #'s on our badges, but I am by all means able to give the citizen asking my ID#...and my trick is when they as for my badge #, I say "mam/sir I do not have a badge #, but hes my ID# and they get confused. Basically like the one phone call deal! What county are you with NYMET? Just wondering by your comment on the "mini-jail" schools, I was guessing PG county?

[retired]

Originally posted by hawaii50
In my department, if a citizen wants your name and badge number, we must give to them. Hey, if you must though and if they are not real pleasant people, let them provide their own pen and paper to write your name and badge number. I won't allow them to use my pen and paper, but that is just me. I am not in the "Customer is always right business." So, if I don't provide my information, I could get a complaint and be investigate by the police commission or internal affairs. Don't be afraid to give out your information though. Hope that helps.

take care.


By not providing them with a pencil and paper, you are just making the situation worse. If you were on my department and did that, you would be in trouble.

[Delta784]

Originally posted by retired
By not providing them with a pencil and paper, you are just making the situation worse. If you were on my department and did that, you would be in trouble.

I don't believe in handing someone a potential weapon (pen).

[Group 29]

I never mind giving someone my name and/or badge number. But, what I do mind is that the request is hardly ever made in a civilized manner, which would tend to make me take it more seriously.

When I am trying to cuff someone, and his baby's mamma comes running out, and somewhere amid all of the screaming and cursing tirade she is handing out, asks for my name and badge number, I generally ignore them.

If they come up to me after he is cuffed and asks civilly, I'll give them a business card, and even tell them what he is charged with and where they can go to try and bond him out.

Maybe that makes me a bad person, but that is what I do.

[retired]

Originally posted by Delta784
I don't believe in handing someone a potential weapon (pen).


You can't really be serious.:rolleyes: Then why not just write it down for them?

[retired]

Originally posted by Delta784
I don't believe in handing someone a potential weapon (pen).

[retired]

Originally posted by Group 29
I never mind giving someone my name and/or badge number. But, what I do mind is that the request is hardly ever made in a civilized manner, which would tend to make me take it more seriously.

When I am trying to cuff someone, and his baby's mamma comes running out, and somewhere amid all of the screaming and cursing tirade she is handing out, asks for my name and badge number, I generally ignore them.

If they come up to me after he is cuffed and asks civilly, I'll give them a business card, and even tell them what he is charged with and where they can go to try and bond him out.

Maybe that makes me a bad person, but that is what I do.


I'm not really addressing in the act of arrestig someone. I'm refering to a non-arrest situation. Besides in my department, anyone we arrest gets a copy of the booking slip with our name and badge number already written for them.

[Delta784]

Originally posted by retired
You can't really be serious.:rolleyes:

After going to a domestic where a guy got stabbed in the eye with a pen, yes, I'm serious.

It's very rare indeed that someone asks "Officer, could I please have your badge number"? It's usually more along the lines of "I want your ****ing badge number, azzhole"!! I'm not going to give an agitated person something that they can harm me with.

Originally posted by retired
Then why not just write it down for them?

I might, depends on the circumstances. If it's some drunk idiot that doesn't like being thrown out of a nightclub, the only way he's getting it is by reading it on his arrest report. If it's someone who very calmly & politely asks for it, then I'll do it.

[retired]

Originally posted by Delta784
If it's someone who very calmly & politely asks for it, then I'll do it.

That's pretty much what I was alluding to. So, no I don't expect an officer to give it to anyone who has just been arretsed since it's on the booking slip. However, even if an arrestee who has a booking slip asks me, I'll still write it down for them. I never had a problem giving my name and badge number to whomever asked for it. I guess I just never felt challenged by that.

[shooter1201]

I never gave any thought about it. At the time I was working for my PD, I shared a badge # with at least 1 other officer.:D

[Monty Ealerman]

In Chicago (and I surmise this may be true elsewhere, too) sometimes, if an officer is asked his name or star number by someone he is not yet sure he wants to arrest, being asked that is enough to make him decide to make the arrest.

The officer is not wrong to presume (1) that the reason for asking identifying information is that the person asking wants to make a complaint, and (2) that any complaint made against him is apt to be taken less seriously by reviewing authorities if the complaint comes from an arrestee. That gives the officer a strong motive for finding a reason to arrest a person he would probably otherwise have let off the hook.

The unpleasantness of being arrested gives a person a motive for complaining. When a person gets arrested, and subsequently complains against the arresting officer, the reviewing authorities may decide that having been arrested is the complainant's real motive for the complaint, and that the stated motive is specious. That makes the complaint more likely to be dismissed.

When the "having been arrested" motive is not available, there is less reason to discount the stated motive, and the complaint is consequently more likely to be sustained.

The average fellow who gets caught drinking beer in the park, or illegally burning leaves in the fall, would consequently be well advised to refrain from asking an officer for identifying information in the encounter, even if he thinks the officer was impolite or less than perfectly professional.

It's easier to swallow a little pride for a few seconds than than it is to spend hours kicking one foot against the other in the holding cell, wishing you'd kept your mouth shut.

Assuming you do not make a complaint against your arresting officer, and the officer accordingly is gracious enough to refrain from pressing his complaint against you, so that the charge is dismissed when you appear in court, you'll still have to pay a few hundred dollars to get rid of the defamatory record of the arrest.

It's important to bear in mind that police officers are entrusted by the society with a tremendous degree of authority, and that asking a police officer for individual identifying information implicitly threatens him with infliction of accountability to a still higher authority. If you're going to make such a threat, you should make sure you're entirely right.

Long ago, my Dad told me that if I wanted to complain, I had to keep my nose clean. When I was a teenager, a buddy of mine told me that the older you get, the smarter your parents get. And Mark Twain once wrote that when he returned home from college, he was surprised to discover how much the old man had learned.

Regards,

Monty

[Badge500]

Chapter 41: Section 98C Badges; identification by name or number

Section 98C. In any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section no uniformed police officer, and no other uniformed person empowered to make arrests, employed by such city or town shall be required to wear a badge, tag or label of any kind which identifies him by name, but any such officer or other person employed by such city or town who does not wear any such badge, tag or label shall wear a badge, tag or label which identifies him by number.

[Bearcatz06]

The first Dept. I worked for, badges numbers didn't mean a thing. If I gave it to you, it would almost take an act of God to figure out who's it was. We used our serial number for everything.
The Dept. I work for now is smaller and uses badge and radio numbers as the same thing. Like everyone else said, it depends on the situation. Most times I will hand them a card if they aren't being cited or arrested. If they are being cited or arrested, it will be in the paperwork they get when they are done being cited or being released from jail when they post bond.

[VegasMetro]

What's theharm in giving out your badge number or name? It may work in your favor down the road if the person wants to file a complaint against you. I don't know of any case, at least within our agency, where an officer got in trouble for giving out his name and badge number. It's always when you don't, but we have a Dept. Policy requring us to identify ourselves to a citizen upon their request :rolleyes:

[Unifed]

Unless the subject is blind they can't miss my name and badge number on the front of my shirt

[KBeecher]

Unless the subject is blind they can't miss my name and badge number on the front of my shirt

I have the feeling that there are a lot of blind, and not even blind drunk just blind, people out there.

I always wondered why people insisted on getting in my face and screaming about paying my salary and wanting my job and then demanding my name and badge number. I thought it was ridiculous to have to point out that if they looked hard enough on the badge and then looked directly to their left and my right they would see what my name was. I then explained to them that if they did not have a pen and pencil not to worry because all that information was on the ticket. :D

[DETSGT]

After I got made Sergeant I no longer had a badge # only a control # and I would give that along with my name on the arrest report or summons.

[SHERIFF]

It's usually an intimidation tactic on their part.


Correct.

I used to like watching their reaction when I gave them my badge #.... "4". :)

[narc]

Why would you not tell a citizen your name and badge number?:confused:

good point ....it's more of a hassle not to.

[Crex4242]

I'm now in Phase III of my FTO program and I'm stumped on this question. This may be simple but I can't find it in my law book and I obviously can't ask the FTO.

The basic question is if I'm accosting a citizen or arresting them, do I need to produce my Badge # if they ask? This came up with another officer the other day in dealing with a teenager.

I'm also a MD county officer. Not sure if the requirements are different by state.

Anyone have any ideas?

:confused:


My department in FL, we tell them it will be on the arrest document at the bottom when they get released. lol

[criticalthinker]

[QUOTE=1sgkelly]Badges, BADGES; we don

[SHERIFF]

Didn't realize they gave badges to bailiffs. :rolleyes:


Of course they do. Guns too. And cars. And nightsticks. And tasers. And uniforms.

Contrary to what you have been told, I actually worked in courthouse and courtroom security just a very few hours in a 40 hour week. The majority of my days were spent serving warrants, transporting mental patients, trasnporting prisoners from jurisidiction to jurisdiction, transporting prisoners to Virginia from other states occasionally, and evicting people for non-payment of rent.

All of the above was done by myself. I never had a partner like most city cops do nowadays. I never had backup just minutes away. I never had anybody to assist me at 3:00 a.m. in the morning when a mental patient went crazy in a car without a prisoner cage (prior to us getting cages in the late 80's and early 90's).

You do realize that the death rate per 100,000 nationwide for deputy sheriffs is TWICE that of police officers, don't you?