Name badges are one of the most useful pieces of plastic on the planet. As far as business is concerned they help establish in an instant. Your company’s message or brand or particular product they also make your customers feel more at ease while conducting business, because the name badge on your employee makes the customer feel as though they are not first name basis with your employee, and generally speaking. Customers like the feeling of having a personal relationship with someone that they are about to conduct business with especially if it’s a large amount of business. A name badge will help to facilitate that warm, familiar feeling.

Name badges are also a great way to artistically express the message or vision of your company and organisation name badges can ensure that your company logo or product becomes part of the collective universal consciousness, Which is what every major company hopes will happen with their brand.

When it comes to name badges. There are several things to consider, such as the size of the name badge, how it will be fastened. What kind material, should your name badge be made out of (these days. It’s most commonly 2.5 mm plastic), but they can be made out of metal or paper for temporary badges or even stickers, should that be required.

After you consider what material your name badge, should be made out of and how to fasten it to your employees clothing, whether it be with the traditional pin (however. This sometimes can ruin clothing, particularly silk, and they aren’t necessarily capable of holding a lot of weight) or magnets or alligator clips or lanyard. Magnets are usually very popular here little more expensive than pins or alligator clips, but are relatively strong for their size and will not endanger your employees clothing. In any way however, if your employee has a pacemaker. Then a magnet fastener is definitely not the way to go as the magnets can interfere with pacemaker. Lanyards are nice, because they can be printed in a multitude of colors as well is with your company’s logo or product name and can be correlated with your badges. However, custom printing lanyards can be rather expensive, but it is something to consider as you could even give the lanyards away at public events to help ensure that your brand name is remembered by all the people that you or your employees come into contact with.

After you settle on the fasteners. It’s time to consider the art. Remember, you don’t want to go with colors that will offset each other as they can become confusing to the eye and make the badge. A giant blur to the brain also, depending on how integrate your art or logo will be. You may have to consider changing the shape of your badge or shrinking down the size of the logo. However, if your logo has lots of intricate detail that you want preserved is using best to go with making the badge of a bigger taller or wider.

But not to worry, the excellent staff at the name badge company.co.uk can sort out all your name badge needs. They have an excellent art staff. Lots of colours and styles to choose from. Excellent rates for orders, and in general. Some of the best customer service to be found anywhere.

If you run a business large or small one question. You never want to hear from a customer to one of your employees is what is your name, especially because in any business environment is simply not feasible for your employees to introduce themselves to every customer that walks through your doors. Name badges are an outstanding way to avoid this embarrassing situation altogether.

Name badges can a sense of familiarity for your customers when it comes to your business. This is because there is significant number of people that like to be on a first name basis with anyone that they are going to conduct business with, this type of atmosphere is very important to any business that values high quality customer service. People associate knowing someone’s name, not only with warmth and familiarity, but also that the person speaking to them actually cares about what they are saying and how the customer is feeling and processing the information. He is being given this may seem kind of odd that a little piece of plastic with someone’s name on it can establish this type of relationship, but it’s true.

Name badges also make it much more convenient. When your customers are trying to leave comment cards or customer feedback, as thanks to the name badge. The customer will know the name of the specific employee that he or she interacted with, and thus the management will properly be up to reward an employee for all their hard work. Not to mention that this will help positively reinforce all the good that wearing your name badge does for your employees.

There are also the quality control aspects that wearing a name badge can provide. Anyone that runs a successful business knows the importance of high-quality customer service. If an issue arises, It is particularly important to be able to resolve the issue as efficiently and with the best outcome possible The customer also needs to have a way of accurately explaining the situation that occurred, and because some customers may not remember the employee with whom he spoke thus making the situation that much more difficult to deal with and having a name badge. Might make it more likely that you’re dissatisfied customer will be able to remember who they were dealing with and thus the situation will get resolved.

Name badges can also increase morale in the work environment, workers will feel more at ease Particularly new hires, because they won’t have to worry so much about memorizing peoples means at an extremely rapid pace and then be embarrassed later. When they have to give a description of the particular person to find them to ask a question.

The quality of your company’s name badges is an image of professionalism and gives your customers and employees alike. The sense that your company is serious about their business, and the last thing any company, whether it’s a big corporation or a mom-and-pop operation wants is to look like a fly by the seat of their pants. Name badges are just one more way to demonstrate that when a customer chooses your particular company. They are choosing the best.

Name badges also go along way in facilitating your company’s image, they help ensure that your customers and employees will always have a feeling of trust when interacting with your organization. People are more likely to trust organizations if they can attach names to faces and then associate of those names and faces with nothing but positive and rewarding experiences, this means that you will have a loyal customer base to draw from for the life of the organization.

So for all these reasons discussed your company will never go wrong. When using high-quality name badges, they will do everything from make your customers feel welcome, to helping establish long-term relationships and a repeat customer base, and they are an extremely inexpensive way to increase your customer service productivity.

Even though your employees may detest wearing them, name badges are an efficient and unobtrusive way to break the ice. When meeting with new clients when they are used, they prevent clients from being embarrassed if they happen to forget someone’s name, or position or title. In some instances, they can facilitate communication efficiency between workers, because they don’t have to deal with the issue of asking someone’s name they actually know who their coworkers are, which in a very large, corporate work environment can be difficult, especially with the large numbers of people coming and going and if your organization has a particularly high turnaround rate then the name badges make it easier for your employees to correlate a face in the name faster. When it comes to identifying new employees, which also saves the new guy, embarrassment because he has to tell everyone is name 50 times a day.

Name badges can also be used to promote professionalism in the workplace badges can instill a sense of organizational pride in one’s employees and help facilitate the reputation of your organization a properly designed and thought out name badge is a way of setting your customer service or sales representatives. Apart from all the other organizations, you may come into contact with. Badges are also way for small companies to enhance the esteem of their employees at meetings, sales pitches and other business functions a properly designed badge can convey a certain sense of professionalism and high standards. That may exceed your company’s small stature, as well as help your employees to feel like they are with a professional organization that is only going to rise in stature.

One of the obvious, yet vital things, name badges can do is provide security for your organization name badges can be enhanced with security chips and other identification tools so that the organization can better control access to the facilities and to make sure only the proper authorized people are, in particular areas. This security measure is important, particularly in high-traffic facilities with all manner of people coming and going from customers to employees to vendors to maintenance people badges can, help employees distinguish at a glance between visitors and other authorized personnel.

Name badges can also facilitate brand recognition, a well-done badge can garner instant recognition for the employee and the brand. When I’m in the general public and help bring to mind the images that the particular company wants to portray it similar to a police badge. You may not know the person wearing the badge on a first name basis. But when you see a police badge, it brings to mind a number of culturally ingrained images, and that is what a well designed badge can do for your company. It can help culturally ingrained. Your companies image product or service into the collective consciousness and boost the company’s reputation. Not only nationwide, but worldwide, which is what every organization strives for as much recognition as possible, all over the world.

So even though your employees may not like wearing them may forget them or lose them. A properly executed, name badge can be a vital cog in the machinery of your organization. It can enhance security, help employees identify one another, quickly enhance brand recognition and mystique and boost your organization’s reputation worldwide. These are just a few of the reasons why having name badges is a requirement for most big corporate organizations. And why they are so effective, and constantly used.

Name badges should be utilised by any self-respecting business professional. Especially when his employees have to travel, because a well-designed name badge can rapidly increase the scope of your company’s reach without the company having to spend significant amounts of money. Name badges to be one anytime, anywhere with a minimum of hassle, no matter what style or design your company chooses, whether they be pinned to an article of clothing worn around the neck on a lanyard. They are generally unobtrusive. Name badges can be designed to be as cutting edge and as extremist far as graphics lettering colors are concerned or they can be minimalist and conservative. It all depends on the image. Your company wishes to betray to the outside world. Your company should take time to research name badges before deciding which styles to go with. There are millions of choices available, and you want to find a style that works best for your company. As you want them to leave, the best impression possible. As well as make sure the name badges for your company are as cost-effective as they can be.

Name badges help your employees in the field or in the office, they will help your employees stand out from the millions upon millions of name badge wearing employees all over the world. They will give your employees, professional competence which will enable them to perform their duties to the best of their ability and also to inspire loyalty to your company and spread your company’s particular message or brand all over the world.

Name badges may seem like little innocent pieces of plastic, which can mean the difference between signing a deal with the new client or walking away empty handed.

Name badges are useful, whether you are on your company’s factory floor , or stopping off for that morning cup of coffee, on your way to work,a properly designed name badge will leave people with no doubt as to who you are it will have your name. Your position with your company that you represent and of course the name of your company. They even nicer things about name badges, other than identifying you, of course, is that they are very affordable and can be used over and over again.

Name badges are usually printed on high-quality plastic really good ones are 2.5 mm thick and have the company logo employee’s name and position and any other pertinent information presented to the viewer with eye-catching graphic quality and colors so that it will leave an indelible impression in the viewer’s mind not only that, aside from serving your intended purpose in everything from board meetings to sales presentations to whatever your particular business environment and activities are. It does not matter how many times that particular employee gets promoted even if you have to print him or her 1000 name badges. They were so cost effective than it will barely leave a footprint in your company’s budget.

Name badges can also be printed on high density paper. In some cases, these might be better than the plastic high-quality ones he employees use inside the facility at work. For instance if you and your employees are at your annual international conference having temporary paper name badges printed out for the conference might not be a bad idea simply because if they lose the paper name badge all that has to be done is to print a number one out. However, if they lose their actual plastic name badge. This could be very bad indeed. Especially that employee has access to sensitive areas within the company it could present a security risk. Not to mention when the conference is over, they can just recycle the name badges and forget about them.

Let’s not forget the name badges are often used as a
promotional tool as well. Having your company’s name and logo printed with some outstanding art, and also covers will help a potential customers that your employees come into contact with on a regular basis. Remember who they are and who they work for, especially when attending conferences or corporate seminars. Employees tend to network at such functions, and it is quite an effective way to bring in more business for your particular organization and the easier your employees to remember, the more likely that potential customer will contact you in the near future so the importance of good quality name badge should never be underestimated.

Name badges can be made out of anything from metal and paper to high density plastic (most commonly used nowadays) and are required to be worn by most people in the service industries, as well as the corporate world. However, typically speaking, the name badges in the corporate world serve to do a lot more than convey someone’s name. They are usually a form of identification that allows you in and out of the building and into certain restricted areas, if necessary.

There are two main reasons for using name badges, first is that it it allows the customer to feel as though they have a personal connection with their service individual, and secondly it helps the service person to feel as though they belong to a group and will allow them to take pride in being connected to your organisation. And if they take pride in being connected to your organization. Then they will inevitably perform their duties at a higher level than they would if they didn’t feel a personal connection and loyalty to the organization. Name badges can also convey a sense of being part of something bigger, and that they are a valued employee in your organisation.

Customers like the ability to recognize someone’s name. It helps them to feel more at ease and gives the impression that the company is honest and has nothing to hide, because they put their employees. Right out front with the names pinned to their shirts and anytime someone is going to conduct business with someone else. You definitely want to make sure that your company conveys a feeling of honesty. Right up front as well as having your employees look professional sound knowledgeable, and being polite. The name badge is just one more aid on the road to a good first impression..

A name badge may be a simple tool, but it carries with it a lot of weight. We see them on a daily basis to the point where we don’t even notice them into weaning them, but they do help to make first impressions and break the ice and convey a feeling of honesty and make the customer feel as though they are establishing an ongoing relationship and demonstrate that your company does in fact mean business. All of this is conveyed in a fraction of a second by a little piece of plastic worn around the neck or pinned to the shirt. A well-designed name badge can mean the difference between making the sale or not and their power should never be underestimated.

And all your name badge, questions can be answered @ thenamebadgecompany.co.uk, where they will answer all of your questions and help you design the name badge for your company or organisation that conveys just the right message and image that you wish to show the world with a myriad of colours and designs to choose from, and an excellent design staff to help facilitate your imagination. You will without a doubt end up with just the product you are looking for, all at reasonable rates.

Although designing a quality name badge with an excellent design and eye-catching colours is an essential part of any company. Just as important is how that name badge is going to be fixed to the employees clothing as you want the employee to be as comfortable as possible while wearing them. You do not want to be a hindrance to job performance.

Pins are by far the most economical option available, most companies will offer them as the standard free of charge fastener when ordering the badges for your company the problem with pins is. They are not ideal for all materials such as silk, where the pin could leave small holes or tears also the pin may not be the most ideal option, if your employees are wearing badges made out of heavy materials such as metal or heavy weight acrylics or even multilayered window badges as the pin might not be strong enough to hold the extra weight.

A very popular option for attaching an employee’s badge to their clothing are magnets can hold much more weight, such as acrylic or mental badge. They also will not leave telltale puncture marks in clothing the downsides are, they are not as cost-effective and might be a hazard, should you happen to have an employee that uses a pacemaker.

A pocket adapter, while it may not be the best choice for busy or fast-paced applications or outdoor applications. They are extremely lightweight, comfortable and obtrusive and are perfect for an office or professional environment. However, they can be rendered ineffective if the employees, business attire does not have pockets.

Alligator clips or vinyl straps can be a more cost-effective alternative to using magnets (and safer for those with pacemakers as well) they have a very stronghold once attached, and the like magnets will not damage silk clothing. They can easily be attached anywhere that is comfortable for the wearer as well as to a badge reel or lanyard.

A badge reel can be an extremely comfortable way to wearing a badge. They typically attached to the belt loop or pocket of the employee and keep the badge out of the way until it’s needed. The down side to a badge reels, is that they may not be compatible with heavy materials like medals or heavyweight acrylics. But they are great, if you’re badge needs to be scanned often as they keep the badge right where it needs to be for easy access and also eliminate the need to bend over or remove the badge from its holder when scanning.

Last but not least, a lanyard is a very effective way to hold a badge. Typically worn around the neck lanyard can also be printed with the company logo or product names and have the same color scheme as the artwork on the name badge. The downside is that they are not as cost effective as some of the other attaching devices. Particularly if they are printed with custom logos and colors, and they may not be ideal for warehouse settings or factories, where the possibility of having been caught in machinery could result in a very dangerous outcome.

So when designing your company’s name badges, please keep in mind that there are several options of attachment available and are not all may be suited to your particular needs, but have no fear as a very wise individuals@thenamebadgecompany.co.uk will be happy to advise you. So that you get the best result possible for your company

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A mother and baby were recovering at a hospital on Tuesday after an eventful delivery.

Nora Barouxis gave birth to baby Liam on Monday morning on her way to Riverside United Methodist Hospital.

Though the hospital was only four minutes from the Barouxis’ home, the drive was too long for Liam, 10TV”s AJ Smith reported.

“It’s my second child, so I know it’s supposed to happen faster,” Nora Barouxis said. “I pretty much had my eyes closed, and I was screaming at my husband, ‘It’s coming. It’s coming.’ He was like, ‘I know, we’ll be at the hospital soon,’ and I was like, ‘No, it’s coming out.’”

Jimmy Barouxis, Liam’s father, said that he was surprised how fast the birth happened.

“I figured it’s coming out, we have another half hour. It can’t come that fast,” Jimmy Barouxis said. “And then she said, ‘It’s out! It’s out!”

Barouxis said that he hit the gas and ran a few lights on the way to the hospital.

When the family arrived, Nora and Liam were still attached, Smith reported.

A nurse met the family at the entrance and used the only tool he had – his ID badge.

“He took his name badge and wrapped it around the umbilical cord and was asking people for scissors,” Nora Barouxis said.

Jimmy Barouxis said that the nurse was “crafty” and thought it was a good idea because it was necessary.

The father said he learned a lesson for next time.

“I shouldn’t have brushed my teeth, and I shouldn’t have even put my socks on,” Jimmy Barouxis said. “Next time, I’ll definitely know.”

For the full video please view source http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2012/02/21/columbus-nurse-uses-id-to-cut-umbilical-cord-of-baby-born-in-car.html

For years police have been identified by their collar numbers, but now officers in parts of the country are being made to wear name badges. Should the badges be required for all?

Picture the scene: you’re unhappy with the quality of customer service you’re receiving and think a complaint is in order. But the person dealing with you seems reluctant to tell you their full name.

A not uncommon scenario in shops, restaurants and call centres perhaps, but what happens when the reluctant name-giver is a police officer? And why might that officer think displaying his name makes him a target for violence and intimidation?

Some police at the G20 did not have numbers on their epaulets

Some chief constables believe such identification is important for holding officers accountable and makes them more approachable. But the rank-and-file staff have raised concerns that such an action could make them more vulnerable to violence – and represents an invasion of privacy.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has joined a growing trend for mandatory name badges, becoming the latest force to announce that all staff will be required to wear a name badge displaying full name and rank.

Various segments of police forces currently display full names, but the Manchester regulations affect the largest group thus far: 8,100 officers and 4,000 civilian staff. Only undercover officers and those wearing riot gear will be exempt.

“It’s part of our commitment to customer service and will make us more open and accountable,” says GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy.

The trend for name badges reflects broader movements in community and neighbourhood policing across the UK. The Leicestershire Constabulary introduced mandatory epaulettes embroidered with an officer’s full name and collar number last spring.

“You’re not being dealt with by a number, you’re being dealt with by a person,” says Inspector Ivan Odell. “We’re not anonymous.”

Facebook protest

The G20 protests in London last April raised the issue of greater police accountability. Officers allegedly hid or covered their badge numbers while policing the protests, making identification impossible.

Cambridgeshire chief Julie Spence has her name stitched on her epaulettes

People concerned about the security and privacy issues surrounding the name badges have created a Facebook group protesting against their mandatory implementation. Some members of the group worry that revealing full names allows people to access the electoral roll, find out where officers live, and attack or harass them.

Mr Hanson says the Greater Manchester Police Federation supports name badges for officers in certain roles, including those who work in the community and with children. But officers who regularly conduct arrests or interact with combative individuals think publicising their full names – especially if it’s unusual – could make them and their families vulnerable.

“Any snippet of information in an age of global technology can give those with sinister motivations the ability to trace officers,” Mr Hanson says.

But accessing the electoral roll isn’t as easy as it might seem. Although anyone can go to their library and inspect the electoral roll for a local area, it is only searchable by address, not name.

“You would have to plough through the whole of the electoral register,” says Eric Shelmerdine, a private investigator whose job requires him to track down elusive people. “It would take about a month.”

Collectable ‘trophies’

Any voter can opt out of the edited version of the electoral roll, which has been around since 2002 and has a national opt-out rate of 40%. The edited roll is the only version available to marketers or websites that advertise people-finding services.

Officers often already wear name badges when attending court

And using an officer’s collar number to learn their name is not easily done, says Mr Shelmerdine.

Mr Odell says the difference between displaying a collar number or a name is negligible when it comes to personal safety – if someone wants to locate an officer, they’ll find a way. Nonetheless, hunting down an officer in order to inflict harm is “extremely rare,” he says.

Mr Hanson says the Greater Manchester Police Federation also fears the magnetic badges could fall off in a scuffle, be collected as “trophies,” and then used to impersonate a plainclothes officer.

In Leicestershire, magnetic and pin-on name badges have fallen off, inspiring the more permanent embroidered epaulettes now favoured by the force. In all the time they have had some type of name badges, there have been “no problems,” Mr Odell says.

The broader concerns surrounding name badges have to do with privacy, which members of the Facebook group point out is covered by the Human Rights Act of 1998.

Simon Davies, the director of watchdog group Privacy International, says the problem isn’t in divulging names – it’s in making it mandatory.

“Your name is a very personal issue and should only be revealed if you choose to,” Mr Davies says. “When society or the government provides a requirement to divulge your name, there can be consequences.”

For our names are an essential part of relationships and help us build trust, which is why customer service personnel use them. And Mr Davies thinks police officers should decide whether to disclose their full name, display a partial version, or use a pseudonym.

“If it’s a public relations matter, [they should] put a smiley face and their first name,” he says. “It’s quite possible to have a responsive and responsible law enforcement sector that respects privacy.”

Mr Hanson says he’s very concerned about the “almost Draconian” way the policy has been implemented and says the Greater Manchester Police Federation “would support a more measured introduction”.

As for the Facebook group, some members who say they’re police officers have opted to use a pseudonym and/or avatar on the social networking site to obscure their true identity. They say it protects against virtual harassment from those they’ve arrested – and they’d like the same protection on the streets.

After all, says Mr Davies, “just handing over your name can create a chain of events.”

Add your comments on this story, using the form below.

Of course they should be identifiable, otherwise they become (or think they are) above the law. Members of the public are given stiffer sentences for crimes against police officers, they should be held to a higher standard in that case. Why should they be able to hide behind anonymity? I don’t necessarily think they need their names, but any officer on duty should be able to be clearly identified at all times. Stephen Windrow, Hereford

Police should be identified only by a lapel number. Law enforcement should be semi-anonymous under strict rules and codes of conduct. The families of police personnel need to be protected. A member of the public should be able to make a complaint or praise, if necessary, using a lapel number. The police do a very difficult sometimes dangerous job and more politically correct reinventing the wheel ideas will not help to keep officers and their families safe. Lynne Bayliss , Bridgend

I don’t agree that it should be compulsory for police officers to display their name. Their number is sufficient to identify them if there is a problem. In Essex many ambulance crews have a badge with their first name and rank (and not necessarily their real name). In many cases it would be inappropriate to use a police officer’s first name. Tim Harvey, Chelmsford, Essex

I’m sorry. Is this the same police service that’s eagerly storing the DNA profiles of everyone they arrest, regardless of whether the individual has committed an offence, and in breach of European law? My sympathies are limited. John Nolan, Oxford

I do not agree with it. If the defendant knows the name of the police officer, he will be able to find him. I think that they should have nicknames so their privacy is protected and we can still complain in case if anything goes wrong. I don’t work for the police but I would be scared if I arrested a person with a gun who could pass the name to his friends. Not me but my family could be in danger. Maggie, UK

Working in the data field, I would find it worrying for police to have to reveal their full names on a badge. The amount of places you can gather information about someone, just based on that name alone, coupled with an approximate age, is staggering. If this “friendly” name tag needs to be implemented, perhaps it can be a pseudonym that can give all the “friendly face” that the officer is known as in their professional capacity (as a replacement to their number alone), but that would shield them from the identification by their real names. In all the rush to protect and be nicer to us, the general public, we shouldn’t forget we need to protect our police officers too. Rich James, Bristol

When I was in the Army we used to have name tags on to our uniform for all to see. There may be certain units of the police that would not want their name known and this is acceptable, however I see no reason why the general rank and file officers cannot wear name tags. It makes it easier for members of the public to converse with them. Martin, Bath, UK

It all depends on context. If an officer (especially those above the rank of sergeant, who do not wear collar numbers) is in a public-facing area of the station, or is attending a community surgery, or is visiting someone to inform them of the death of a loved one, a name badge is perhaps appropriate. When attending front-line duties such as riot control or a drugs raid, it is perhaps less so. As with so many aspects of policing, a pragmatic approach is needed, not a one-size-fits-all one. Hugh Annand, Letchworth Garden City, UK

When asked by a police officer, I can be made via various means to reveal my identity. The easiest way is to just be arrested and a refusal to co-operate just gives them the excuse to do so. However when trying to identify a police office it is not as uncommon as the commentator thinks to find no badge numbers or ones that have been deliberately obscured by hi-vis jackets or stab jackets or just by simply not wearing them. I’ve often noticed officers with no means of identification patrolling on the streets of Liverpool or driving around in vehicles with no epaulettes, and as for the PCSOs, as soon as you start asking for numbers from them then you fail the so called “attitude test” and they radio for the big boys to turn up. Joe Bloggs, Liverpool

No way should our forces be made to wear name badges – who thought this one up? My niece is a police constable and I would be even more worried about her if I thought her name was on display for everyone to see. Ridiculous, and dangerous idea. Sheila, Belfast

“It’s part of our commitment to customer service and will make us more open and accountable,” says GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy. Blimey, anyone would think that the police has morphed into a supermarket! Customer service is secondary to upholding the law and arresting criminals. I totally agree that, due to the kind of people the police have to deal with, their identity should be restricted to their collar number. Even though it is hard to track people down, it is still easier when you have a name. Alex, Bristol, UK

I find it so amusing the police are worried their right to privacy is being breached… now you know how we all feel with the anti-terror stop and search laws. When I’m at work, the people I’m helping know my name. The public is the customer in this case and we have every right to know who it is we’re talking to in case you want to complain – or even commend. Kimberley, Nottingham

Much as I like to know who I am dealing with, I quite understand the police being reluctant to reveal their names. A number should be quite enough to identify an officer unless s/he chooses to reveal their identity. It may take a while to trawl through databases to locate an individual by name but, for those with the time and inclination, it could be quite a lucrative enterprise. That said, on one occasion when I rang the police, the person who answered the call refused to identify themselves. They wouldn’t even give an identification number, which I find totally unacceptable. Nick, Sheffield

Just make it an offence for a policeman to cover up their ID number, and the exposure of their name is no longer an issue; problem solved (unless of course there’s more to this than protecting a police officer from ‘harassment’). Michael Finch, Chichester, UK

source http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8518828.stm

January 13, 2012, Oakland –  Occupy Oakland’s Media Committee has uncovered images and videos that reveal many police hiding their name badges while on duty during Occupy Oakland raids. Officers covering name badges was not an isolated incident, but widespread. In some cases, departmental affiliations were also not visible (video and image links below). State law requires on-duty, uniformed police officers to display name badges.

On January 9, Judge Thelton Henderson slammed the Oakland Police Department for their failure to get rank and file officers to follow procedure–or to follow California law. Two officers were disciplined based on evidence from a citizen journalist’s video. Officer John Hargraves, who concealed his name, was given a 30 day suspension. His superior officer, Lt. Clifford Wong, was demoted for failing to report the incident to Internal Affairs.

Media Committee member wiseoldsnail captured videos on October 25 and November 20 of Pleasanton and OPD officers covering up their identity badges while on duty carrying out orders at Frank Ogawa Plaza, which the protesters have renamed Oscar Grant Plaza. Others have also noticed the trend toward officers concealing their identities.  “It surprises me that officers from different agencies don’t seem to know that they are required to show identification at all times.  It’s bad enough when identified officers offer up beatings and unlawful detention. The violations of our constitutional rights are compounded when officers choose to operate in secrecy,” said Stephanie Demos, who has experienced numerous violations of her civil rights, including violence and unlawful detention by police, during her peaceful activities supporting the Oakland Commune and documenting Occupy Oakland activities.

“The officers tear gassed me and about 100 other protesters on November 2, without warning that chemical agents would be used, violating Oakland’s use of force policy.  All of their name tags were hidden,” said Occupy Oakland Media Committee member Adam Katz, who filed a claim with OPD Internal Affairs on November 3.  In the internal affairs claim, Katz included a photo of the officers.

News of court action and disciplinary measures against officers who covered their name badges at Occupy Oakland raids comes on the heels of protests against police repression in recent weeks. The main focus of these protests has been arrests and police brutality targeting Occupy Oakland “regulars” who were participating in a 24 hour Occupy Oakland vigil at Oscar Grant Plaza.

Videos of Police Refusing to be Identified:

wiseoldsnail: Video - showing OPD officer Cross refusing to identify herself, until her superior advises her to do so (Nov 20):

Spencer Mills @OakFoSho: Video – showing officers with no name badges (Nov 14):

wiseoldsnail: Video – showing officer refusing to identify himself (Oct 25):

source : http://hellaoccupyoakland.org/police-hiding-name-badges-widespread-at-occupy-oakland-raids-press-release/