Do LEO's carry an ID card...

[Browns Fan]

that identifies them as LEO? I asked this question in another post, but did not get a reply, so I hope to get some answers by starting a new thread. So, LEO's, do you guys have these, and do they have a badge # on it that is suppose to match the one on the badge? Would it be a good idea to ask for this ID as well as a badge when "Officer Friendly" is knocking at your door at oh-dark-thirty?

This is in light of a post someone started about someone they know who survived a home invasion that was done by BGs posing as LEOs.

 

[444]

Since you posted this before and didn't get an answer, I will give you a bump. I don't know the answer to your question, however I would say that it is almost certain that they do. I work as a fireman and we have picture IDs for the department. In addition, all of our buildings are equipped with door locks and gates to get into the parking lots that require a magnetic stipped card to open and this magnetic strip is on the back of our ID.
I would bet my next paycheck that police officers have something very similar and here I would bet they are the same since we are both employed by the same government body (the county).

 

[mete]

Exactly , always ask for a PHOTO ID ,not a badge. Badges are easy to get and used by those posing as cops.

 

[armoredman]

Absolutely - required part of the uniform, with the badge. If an officer wants into your home, ask to see the photo ID. Some IDs may not have the badge number included, (mine doesn't), but will have a photo, department logo, and other identifing crtieria. Also, if really concerned, call 911 and ask them if he's legit!

 

[El Tejon]

Ex-LEO here. I had a photo ID. It was on the other side of my flippy badge holder thingy.

I am told my photo was copied and kept at secretarial stations at the Sheriff's department where it was taken.

Of course, I had to show my badge a grand total of once and that was when my investigator was out ill and I had to pick up medical records on an OWISBI before trial.

 

[cane]

If you think badges are easy to get, ID's are even easier. You don't even have to get up from your computer. Just design a nice official looking one and print it off on your printer. An inexpensive laminate sheet and your ready to go. There is no standarized LEO ID card, neither federal, state, or local. For that matter how many of you have ever seen one of your local LEO's ID, let alone FBI, DEA, SBI, ATF, USSS, US Marshal, Postal Inspector, and the list goes on and on.

 

[armoredman]

Good point - telephone the agency in question and verify the officer's identity before opening the door - a real officer will understand! Of course, if it's a no knock raid, you are SOL anyway, hope they are A) genuine, and B) COPS or AMW cameras are on scene....

 

[LawDog]

I don't know about other states, but in Texas an officer should have two cards.

One card is issued by TCLEOSE, it is standardized throughout the state and should be carried at all times while the officer is on duty. It will have the full name of the officer, his level of certification and an ID number. It will not have his photo on it.

The other card will be issued by his agency. Our cards have our photo, both index prints, title basic description and is signed by the Sheriff. Most peace officer agency ID cards in Texas will have this basic level of identification, if not more.

LawDog

 

[Steve in PA]

In PA, LEOs have an ID card with their picture on it. It has their certification # and the name of the dept they work for. I don't carry it when working in full uniform, driving a fully marked police car, etc. If I'm working in plain clothes or off-duty, then I'll have my wallet with my badge and ID.

As some already pointed out, the ID is probably easier to fake than a badge. Someone can make a fake ID and show it to you. How are you going to know whether its real or fake?

 

[El Tejon]

Easy task for a Tippecanoe County (Indiana) ID card. If there were no spelling errors, then it was a fake!

 

[444]

I guess you could fake ours, but it isn't just a laminated piece of paper. It is made on plastic like a credit card and has the magnetic strip on the back.

 

[Bear Gulch]

Idaho has a card. When you leave the agency you turn it in. Badges are really easy to obtain. Just contact Galls or any other Leo equipment store.

 

[Powderman]

In Washington State, LEO have three items of ID at all times. One is the WA DL. The second is the badge itself, and the third is the commissioning card (departmental ID).

Many agencies (ours included) have gone to the "credit card" style of commission card. If you are badged by an officer who is not on duty and in uniform, it is well within your right to ask for the commission card. To verify further, call the police department where the officer came from, and check to see if they are employed there.

As far as I know, none of the badge manufacturers will sell an individual officer a badge, unless the request is on department letterhead with an authorized signature that they have on file. If it is not on file, they WILL call and verify.

 

[Erik]

"This badge conveys no authority unless accompanied by proper credentials."

It's on the back of my badge. My last two (different outfits) had similar wording as well.

My creds consist of two cards, one with my photograph. They're what I display to confirm who I am and who I am representing during the course of my duties.

When in doubt, ask for the creds.

 

[yorec]

Photo ids were issued by my small town PD, the SO, and HP. Common practice...

 

[GRB]

Many LEO IDs are two parts. One cred with photo and the other with agency name, logo etc. Some are one part, same type of thing. Every legitimate LEO in this country should be carrying his identification with him at all times whenever he is working and whenever he is armed. Any police offcer, even one in uniform, who does not carry his identification credentials is asking for trouble especially in todays world. A uniform alone may not be sufficient to identify yourself as a police officer, especially if another agency is looking for bad guys posing as police. A determine dperson can buy uniform articles in many unform stores. He/she can buy patches (current issue) for many departments from many sources; leather gear or web gear is also little problem if someone is determined to look like officer Joe Friendly. People who may want to do so are stalkers, kidnappers, terrorists, robbers, assassins, and peodophiles and plain old nut-cases. So to Steve in PA who said:

I don't carry it when working in full uniform, driving a fully marked police car, etc.

I have to say: Please Steve, never expect my children to comply with any order you give to them about coming close to you, or getting in your car etc., unless you show them valid police identification when they ask to see it. It is a common trick of peodophiles to impersonate police officers. I would be pretty surprised to find out that a current day department does not require an officer to carry their ID whenever working (even in uniform) or whenever armed with the department's firearm. If I did find out such was the case, I think I would make an effort to have them rectify a regulation that did not require such because it just plain out and out stinks in today's world of assaults on children by deranged dirt bags who know all the tricks (among the other heinous types already mentioned). If it is the departmental policy of anyone on this board, that you need not carry yur ID because you are in uniform, or you need not carry it all times when working or when armed under departmental authority - well - do yourself and your department a favor and have that rule changed. It may save a life someday, even your own.

Best regards,
Glenn B

 

[Checkman]

My department issues a photo ID with the badge. Have to have our photo ID with us at all times. If you really have doubts call 911 and don't open your door. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've knocked on the door of a house or apartment where a party was going on and nobody would answer. Even though I could see them looking at me through a curtain. Nothing I could do. If somebody doesn't want to open their door and talk to me there is nothing I can do. Even had a lady once, who was lying on her couch, while I tried to speak to her thorugh her front screen door. She wouldn't look at me or answer me. Though she did tell her dog to shut up numerous times. Very weird. I finally wished her a good night and left.

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

I don’t carry my wallet with me while on duty, I’m in uniform, in a marked car if you call me I’ll come, if you don’t want to open the door I care not, I’ll go back to my coffee.

If I encounter you it will be in one of two ways, either you called me or I have a lawful reason to be there in which case asking for ID won’t over shadow the fact I’m holding a warrant or some other legal device, which will allow me to “come inside†if I need to.

In all my years of policing I don’t ever recall being asked for my ID accept one time and that was to gain entrance to a federal courthouse while armed.

Typically I don’t go sticking my nose where I don’t belong or have the good graces of the court to be.

 

[Blue Line]

back when I was a small town police officer we had nothing to ID ourselves with. The dept. I hope has changed in 20 years. When I worked for the state we had One ID and carried it on and off duty. Now that I work for a federal agency we have two and two badges. One badge by the gun on the belt and the other is in with the photo ID and verbage ( also ours has lots of high tech security features that the average counterfieter can't duplicate). The other one is smaller and just says who I work for and name with a photo and a serial type number. Our badges and serial #'s are two different things so the bad guy can't get them both right.

I hope everybody calls and verifys who I am, no problems here. If I have a warrant, you can look for my ID on the back of my cuffs!! lol

 

[Jeff White]

Here in Illinois we have ID cards. They vary in design and type by the agency. I've never had anyone ask me for ID, but then I normally work in uniform.

One note on calling 911. Here (and in much of the country) you'll get a 911 center who will most likely not know anything about the officer at the door, because they just take all the 911 calls and forward then to the appropriate agency. You would probably be better served calling the non-emergency number for your local PD.

Jeff

 

[orangeninja]

Well, I think my Dept. takes the cake...we have 3, yes that's THREE cards for I.D. purposes.

One I. D. card...

Credentials with two cards...one photo, one with authority stated....you know, Federal Style.

 

[Jeff White]

Well, if you want to get technical we have two where I work, one identifies us as city employees, the guys who work on the street dept etc have one just like it only their's says street, water, gas etc. instead of police. And all the sworn officers have one issued by the PD.

Jeff

 

[DMF]

Good point - telephone the agency in question and verify the officer's identity before opening the door - a real officer will understand! Of course, if it's a no knock raid, you are SOL anyway, hope they are A) genuine, and B) COPS or AMW cameras are on scene....

Obviously written by someone who has NEVER served a warrant. Cops are not required to wait for the occupant of the residence to phone anyone, and all of those real officers will understand - they will understand they are only required to knock, announce, and wait a reasonable time before forcing entry. There is NO set time of what is reasonable, as the individual circumstances of each warrant service will dictate what is reasonable.

I've said here before, and I'll say it again. The vast majority of the time someone is whining about a "no knock warrant" what really happend is the cops knocked, announced, waited a reasonable time, and then forced entry. Just because entry was forced does NOT mean it was a "no knock warrant."

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

In Georgia the courts have said each warrant will vary and in the end the justification of the entry will rest solely on the officers.

Which basically means if I have a felony arrest warrant for Osama bin Laden and knock, announce and before the echo dies tear the door off the hinges with a tow truck and a scoop key then oh well, I was in fear of my safety.

Usually we will wait a reasonable amount of time if it’s just an arrest warrant, unless it’s for something big or we know beyond a shadow of a doubt there are guns in the house, then it will be SRT serving it anyway.

 

[Blue Line]

I agree w/ DMF but in a non emergency situation and you want to verify who's at the door call the non emergency number - don't worry I'll wait.