Police in Greater Manchester are to be ordered to wear name badges on duty to improve 'customer service'.
All 8,100 officers along with 4,000 civilian staff will be ordered to wear the magnetic tags which will display their full name and rank. GMP is the first force in the country to require all officers to display their names, although others have trialled similar schemes for selected staff.
Plain clothes detectives will not be exempt from wearing the badges, which are similar to those worn by shop assistants and bank clerks.
But police working undercover or officers wearing riot gear will be allowed to take off the badges.
At the moment, officers are only publicly identified by a collar number woven into their jackets.
Criticism
The Metropolitan Police announced plans last month to require some officers to wear name badges in response to criticism that officers failed to display their ID numbers during last April's G20 demonstrations.
However, the badges will only have to be worn by about a quarter of officers at the Met who work in specific areas of policing.
GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy, who has already started wearing his badge, has brought in the policy as part of a drive to improve the force's image with the public.
The cost of issuing the badges to every officer and staff member has been put at £21,000.
The force last year started giving officers lessons in courtesy after rising numbers of complaints about rudeness and incivility shown by police.
Mr Fahy, said the name badges would also help create a better relationship between the police and public.
He said: "It's part of our commitment to customer service and will make us more open and accountable.”
The new GMP name tags have been welcomed by most officers but some have expressed concerns.
Ridicule
One said: “A name badge could be regarded as a trophy for some people if they get involved in a tussle with an officer and it could then be used by someone who wants to pose as a police officer. Officers with unusual names might be left open to ridicule.”
The Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, which represents 8,000 rank-and-file officers, has questioned whether the investment is appropriate as the force struggles with a £5m budget shortfall, with plans to axe 300 posts and 150 civilian jobs at risk.
Federation spokesman Inspector Ian Hanson said: “We have some reservations as to whether this is appropriate spending with the cutbacks the force is looking at making in police officer numbers.
“The federation has no issue with this in principle and neither do most police officers. It's a question of whether it is the appropriate time and I'm sure the public of Greater Manchester would rather use the money on another police officer than on badges. This is something we should be looking at in two or three year when we have the books balanced.”
Showing comments 51 to 75 and replies | View All
d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (05/02/2010 at 16:12)
Surely our bobbies and their families are entilted to some protection from the bad guys?
The Lone Ranger (05/02/2010 at 16:14)
But in any case if they are the same quality as our uniforms they won't last long, and eventually stores will get fed up sending out replacements.
And Mr Fahy should wear one, as should most of the command team, so we know who they are.
And to Audenshaw Bob, you mention diversity and transgender issues that the police are more interested. You couldn't be any closer to the truth, they are even running a film night for Lesbian, bi, gay and trans people at the force training schoool, and we are all welcome, every officer irrespective of their orientation has had a personal e mail invitation.
Mark,Radcliffe. (05/02/2010 at 16:15)
Mark,Radcliffe. (05/02/2010 at 16:37)
KevinK (05/02/2010 at 16:39)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (05/02/2010 at 16:40)
Growler (05/02/2010 at 17:03)
Toby Tring (05/02/2010 at 17:09)
I'm sure all the people who are being threatened with redundancy are thrilled at the prospect of having £21,000 frittered away on pointless name badges. And lets face it you could probably double that amount as they won't cough to how much it'll really cost.
Fahy quite clearly has no idea what happens in the real world on real streets anymore. Move over old man let a real policeman do the job.
Audenshaw Bob (05/02/2010 at 17:16)
What it should say on the badge is 'your worst nightmare'. That is what thieving lying vermin need.
Your havin a laugh, Tameside (05/02/2010 at 17:30)
5/02/2010 at 15:37 Your way off the mark my friend...... We are properly skint! and its only going to get worse.
Alan Partridge, Linton Travel Tavern (05/02/2010 at 17:39)
"GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy, who has already started wearing his badge"
Not really a problem for a chap who sits in an office all day is it, whats the worst that could happen, catch it in the toilets towel dispenser?
On a serious note who listens to ideas like this in Chester house and agrees with it? Come on GMP lets see real solutions to actual problems, not smoke and mirrors to distract the foolish.
Billy Meredith's toothpick, leafy Cheadle (05/02/2010 at 18:17)
andrew (05/02/2010 at 18:46)
I for one will "miss place " my name badge as will the 1000 of 8100 frontline officers.
Sir Robert Peel would be turning ! !
Reality Check, The Norf (05/02/2010 at 18:57)
Andanotherthing, Mcr (05/02/2010 at 19:26)
Pointless waste of money.
Father Time, Elsewhere (05/02/2010 at 19:38)
Concerned Mancunian, Manchester (05/02/2010 at 19:43)
Off the fence (05/02/2010 at 19:47)
This is the most unpopular move I have ever seen and Mr Fahey's comments that the move is generally welcomed by officers shows he is listening to those in cushy jobs at Chester House rather than on divisions where threats by criminals and gang members towards officers and their families are common place.
Stick collar numbers as big as you like on all officers but this has to be the most naive misguided move I have ever seen by someone who claims to be a police officer. Police officers usually give their full name when speaking to the general public or taking statements from victims, but police officers spend most of their time dealing with scum.
Mr fahey needs to spend more time giving police resources they need, like reducing needless duplication of paperwork and systems where the same information needs to be typed 10 times for each incident.
Enigma, Trafford (05/02/2010 at 20:07)
Sack him now and put a thief taker in his place someone with experience of working the beat. The man is a fool!!!
I Am Cornholio (05/02/2010 at 21:22)
Thanks new labour !!!
needle (05/02/2010 at 23:32)
How easy will it be for con-men to copy these badges and get their way into the old and vulnerable peoples homes.
This is not solving any problems but increasing the opportunity and risk to those people.
Watch for the increase in burglaries.
max Imum (05/02/2010 at 23:39)
Belrock, England (06/02/2010 at 01:13)
ednaplate, Salford (06/02/2010 at 01:33)
NEVERINDOUBT, EU
I think NEVERINDOUBT that you need to change the company you keep if this keeps happening. Does trouble follow you around? Are you just unlucky? Maybe you are just a gobby scrote who likes being involved when the police are trying to get on with their job.
It's odd that in my 41 years I've never been stopped by the police or had any reason to ask for their names. Like I said it's all about the lifestyle you lead and the company you keep.
canonball, inside the helmet (06/02/2010 at 09:42)