Police to get name badges

Officers at Manchester Police are to be the first in the country to wear mandatory name badges on their uniforms.

All 8227 officers employed by the force, along with the 4128 civilian staff, have been told they must display the magnetic badges which spell out their name and rank.

The move is part of a customer service drive to improve the force’s image with the public.

Plain clothes officers will also be expected to wear the supermarket employee style badges, although undercover officers and those in riot gear will be exempt from the rule.

Until now, officers have only been required to wear their badge number, which can be used by their force to identify individuals.

However, in the face of heavy criticism following the G20 protests last April, a number of forces have considered introducing name badges.

The Metropolitan Police announced last month that some of its officers would wear name badges in response to criticism levelled after Aprils G20 demonstrations in London.

Other forces have also trialled schemes for selected staff.

But Greater Manchester Police is the first to make all officers wear name badges.
Chief Constable Peter Fahy, said: “By issuing police officers and staff with name badges we will simply be bringing GMP in line with the many other forces who already use them.

“It’s part of our commitment to customer service and will make us more open and accountable.”

The initiative, which is understood to have cost the force £42,000, has already been criticised by the Police Federation, who questioned whether such an expense was justifiable at a time when forces are under increasing pressure to make efficiency savings.