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Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 3 - Policy and Ethics / Chapter 3 - Uniform and Safety Equipment

3-03/340.00 - Name Tags and Name Tag Exceptions


3-03/330.00 - Medals, Pins, and Emblems
3-03/340.01 - Name Tag Exceptions

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish Department rules governing the visible display of identification by all Department members performing official duties and the applicable requirements and limited exceptions to the requirements for sworn Department members while performing enforcement duties.  This policy is intended to ensure compliance with applicable state and local law regulating peace officer identification and to affirm the Department's commitment to transparency, accountability, and public trust.

Definitions

  • Identification - Visible display of the Department’s name and either the name or badge number, or both name and badge number.  
  • Enforcement duties - Active and planned operations involving the arrest or detention of an individual, or deployment for crowd control purposes.
  • Visible display - To wear externally on the uniform in a size and location such as to be reasonably visible to members of the public with whom the officer interacts.

Policy

Pursuant to this policy, all personnel are required to visibly display identification that includes the Department’s name and their name or badge number, as specified below.

Uniformed sworn members shall wear a name tag on their outermost uniform garment. The name tag shall be clearly visible at all times. The name tag shall bear the legal surname of the wearer and be properly spelled. 

Non-uniformed sworn members shall visibly display identification when performing enforcement duties.

Exceptions to the visible display of the sworn members’ name and other identifying information are limited to the specified exemptions included herein.

Exemptions to Visible Identification Requirements

Uniformed Members

The requirement that sworn uniformed members visibly display identification when performing enforcement duties shall not apply to:

  • Sworn members wearing personal protective equipment (e.g., rainwear, protective gear) that prevents display.
  • Sworn members during exigent circumstances, involving an imminent danger to persons or property, or the escape of a perpetrator, or the destruction of evidence, including if the officer is responding to those circumstances while off-duty.
  • Sworn members, when there is a specific, articulable, and particularized reason to believe identification would pose a significant danger to the physical safety of the sworn member.

Non-Uniformed Members

The requirement that non-uniformed sworn members visibly display identification when performing enforcement duties shall not apply to:

  • A sworn member conducting active undercover operations or assignments authorized by supervising personnel or court order.
  • Sworn members wearing personal protective equipment (e.g., rainwear, protective gear) that prevents display.
  • A sworn member during exigent circumstances, involving an imminent danger to persons or property, or the escape of a perpetrator, or the destruction of evidence, including if the officer is responding to those circumstances while off-duty.
  • A sworn member assigned to the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) in the performance of authorized SEB special weapons teams’ duties, as provided in MPP 2-11/060.00 (Special Enforcement Bureau).
  • A sworn member assigned to a tactical team in the authorized performance of tactical operations where Department-authorized protective equipment is required for a member’s physical safety.
  • A sworn member engaged in protective operations involving elective officials, judicial officers, or designated dignitaries where the display of identification would compromise the safety, anonymity, or tactical effectiveness of the protection detail.

Name Tag Exceptions – Specialized Units

During tactical deployments, sworn Department members in specialized units are permitted to use a unique identifying number instead of the member’s name tag.  The goal is to protect Department members from public dissemination of personal information while also allowing them to be identified for accountability purposes in accordance with California Penal Code section 830.10 and Government Code section 7288.  Specialized units are defined as personnel in an individual or team configuration that have been deployed to an emergency or unusual occurrence.  Specialized units include, but are not limited to the Mobile Field Force, Sheriff’s Response Teams, and Emergency Response Teams.  Emergency or unusual occurrences include, but are not limited to civil unrest, riots, protests, major disasters, and large-scale criminal activity (flash mob).

Department members shall utilize their badge numbers as the unique identifier.  In the absence of an issued badge number, an employee number may be used.  The name or unique identifier shall be affixed with tape.  The tape shall be ranger green in color with the badge number in yellow and shall be a minimum of 1 x 5 ¾ inches.  The preferred location is the front and back of the helmet, which will allow for identification from almost any perspective and has the lowest probability of being obscured.  The display of additional identifying numbers (greater than the two recommended) is permissible.  Personnel may display the identifying number on the front and back of the uniform as well as the front and back of the helmet.

Metal Name Plate

A metal nameplate, 9/16 x 2 7/16 inches, gold in color, polished finish, with blue lettering, shall be worn on the Class A shirt, dress jacket, and may be worn on the Duty uniform shirt or field jacket.  Only sworn employees, community service officers, custody assistants, security officers, security assistants, and desk operations assistants may wear this metal nameplate. 

When worn on the Class A or Duty uniform shirt, the nameplate shall be worn with the top edge centered parallel and even with the lower border seam of the right pocket flap.  When worn on the dress jacket, the nameplate shall be worn on the right pocket flap, the top edge centered, parallel, and even with the border seam.

When worn on the field jacket, the nameplate shall be worn in the fixed eyelets (if provided) or on the right pocket flap with the top edge centered, parallel, and even with the seam of the pocket.  Communication operator supervisors may wear an authorized metal name tag as approved by the unit commander.

Cloth Name Tape

A deputy sheriff’s, cloth, name tape, approximately 1 x 5¾ inches, green with black lettering, shall be worn on the Class B shirt and may be worn on the Duty uniform shirt if assigned to custody (per MPP 3-03/070.15 – Deputy Sheriff Duty Uniform), and all jackets, except the dress jacket. 

The cloth name tape shall be worn above and even with the top seam of the right pocket.  No space shall be visible between the bottom of the name tape and the top of the pocket.

Custody assistants are authorized to wear a cloth, name tape, approximately 1 x 5¾ inches, black with gold lettering, on the field jacket, Class B shirt and Duty uniform shirt.  This name tape shall be worn in the same manner as the deputy sheriff’s cloth, name tape.

Security officers and security assistants are authorized to wear a cloth, name tape, approximately 1 x 5¾ inches, green with gold lettering, on the Class B shirt, and black with gold lettering, on the field jacket.  These name tapes shall be worn in the same manner as the deputy sheriff’s cloth, name tape. 

All other uniformed civilian employees shall wear a cloth name tape, approximately 1 x 5¾ inches, dark blue with light blue lettering, on the field jacket and Class B shirt.  This name tape shall be worn in the same manner as the deputy sheriff’s, cloth, name tape.

Contract City Name Identifier

The contract city name identifier may be worn on the Class A uniform shirt at the unit commander's discretion.  The name identifier shall be a green plastic plate engraved with white letters stating the name of the contract city.  The name identifier shall be 2¼ inches wide by 1¼ inches tall.  The plastic plate shall have holes allowing the wearer to place the posts of the metal nameplate through them and then affix the nameplate and contract city name identifier to the Class A shirt in the same manner as described for the metal nameplate. 

Replacement and additional contract city name identifiers may be obtained from the Sign Shop.

Medical Services Personnel

Members assigned to Medical Services who deal directly with inmates within clinics and wards of Medical Services shall wear a white plastic laminated tag with blue lettering which identifies the person by name and classification.