Name tag policy. Do you give your name??

[BoyInBlue]

Myself and my staff identify ourselves with a simple "Security" advisement. But anything past that, only my name is disclosed to any parties other then LE. Reason being, is that I already have the public identity issue, where I am in the paper and news programs, not to mention its not hard to come by the main office and pick up my card.

As for my personnel, when asked who they are, they are to identify themselves only by their call sign, not names. We do this for several reasons, but one important one..

Retalliation. I have lost officers in the past due to their identity being disclosed to disgruntle subjects. The officer is approached afterwards or any time, at which the upset subject demands to "know your name". The officer gives the subject a simple statement of their call sign. You should see peoples faces when this is the response. Very upset then. The public is under the perception that S/O's are held to the same standard as LE's, in that the S/O is a public official and must disclose their name. PD has even had to be the bearer of bad news to the subject when they respond with the same "The security officer doesnt have to give you his/her name".

When it comes to complaints being filed, the complaintant is given the officers call sign, and can be given my name. With that and a number to contact, then they can discuss the issue with me legitimately. As said here before, the uniform and a simple advisement of "security" satisfies our legal system more then enough.

I do suggest that we all protect ourselves from retalliation, as we are generally the first faces and last faces any upset person not thinking things through, will remember. Check who is in your parking lot when you get off shift, and always change your path home when leaving. Keep an eye on the rear view mirror, and make a few extra turns or a stop at a gas station for a cup of coffee.. You will find out quickly if you have a guest wishing to follow you home!

This is such a good point.

Doing nightclub security I use a fake name all night long, most of us do. But I did make a handful of arrests last year and I gave the reporting police officer my drivers licence for his report... THIS BECOMES PUBLIC RECORD. Now anyone with $9.95 and go to a person finder website and see my address, and all my family members (as well as their addresses too), I have a unique last name.

Doing Theme Park security we wear a name tag with our first AND LAST name. So I really try not to make enemies there (I guess that's the point).

My advise is when giving the police your info (always very politely) tell them to use your company address!!!!!

It all becomes public record.

[wjohnc]

My advise is when giving the police your info (always very politely) tell them to use your company address!!!!!

It all becomes public record.

Lots of issues with security personnel and their identities.

I had my living room window shot out and went through hell for a while.

But something I do that I'm sure has protected me to some degree is exactly what you said there, and when I go to court and am asked to identify myself, I always - always - give my work address, NEVER my home address, which is offputting to some people because the regular direction from the bailiff is, "State your name and address for the record."

I always tried to beat the importance of this into guards and LPOs under me, but they never seemed to get it.

JohnC

[N. A. Corbier]

Wisconsin has a state law that requires all employees to be identified by their true and lawful name on the outermost garment.

Thankfully, Florida has no such policy. I perfer people to wear nameplates. However, on the downside, each security license is online and easily looked up by name, license number, or county. Only being an active duty law enforcement officer or a private investigator is an "out" for disclosure.

I wore a nameplate that said "N. A. Corbier," and had no problems. Of course, when you looked my name up on the state website, it said my information was restricted, so I can't really comment.

[BoyInBlue]

I wore a nameplate that said "N. A. Corbier," and had no problems. Of course, when you looked my name up on the state website, it said my information was restricted, so I can't really comment.

Yes thankfully the security company that I work for registered my CA guard card under their own address. But you can still look up my Guard Card Number and lodge a complaint with BSIS.

As always I conduct myself in a professional manner and aim to do the right thing.

Cross my fingers.

Oh and set your MySpace type websites for privet or better yet delete them.

[bigdog]

I wear a nameplate with my first Initial and last name.

[FlacoFI]

Yup, same as Bigdog here, first name initial and then last name. I do it only to make the uniform look better though.

[davis002]

Last name... that's all. If someone (other than LE) asks for my info, it's last name and/or badge number. It's funny when someone asks for my badge number...

"What's your badge number?!"

"2"

"2?"

"Yes, 2..."

"Who is 1?"

"The owner"

[Lawson]

At my current job we are issued ID tags we wear around our necks, it has our picture, the company logo and our first name.

When I wear a uniform with uniformed companies I usually wear my nameplate with my last name on it. I have no problems with people knowing who I am, I usually greet people with my last name.

[N. A. Corbier]

Last name... that's all. If someone (other than LE) asks for my info, it's last name and/or badge number. It's funny when someone asks for my badge number...

"What's your badge number?!"

"2"

"2?"

"Yes, 2..."

"Who is 1?"

"The owner"

I used to give out business cards, which really made people stop. "This says you're a manager." I was. Their entire outlook on the transaction changed.

[LPCap]

In VA you are required to have a nameplate on the outermost article of clothing. In the winter, on your jacket or sweater and the summer, shirt.

You are also required to have at least one patch of a certain dimension on your uniform.

[Mall Director]

As uncosure as it may be, or may have been, at one time while I was on the lower end of the ranking scale, while working in another state, there were similiar laws that applied. "Name plate or tag, and patch identifying agency employed with" was a state requirement. I read the law as carefully as possible, then complied, while still protecting my identity.

My name plate stated "Officer J. Smith". Now is that really my name? No. Was it ethically wrong? Maybe. But PD understood, and I wasnt hassled. I presented to them my correct information, and sometimes used the excuse of "my company is too cheap and hasnt corrected the problem with giving me the wrong nametag", or "It was the shirt I was issued, and as soon as I get my new tag in, I can get it replaced".

I am very big on self protection:

I have actually lost good personnel, that were smart, efficient and intellegent, because of retallitation. My only bi-lingual officer quit on me due to his adventure while off duty. He was playing basketball at a local park, when approached by a small group of a well known gang. They recognized him from an incident the previous month. After looking at his gym bag, which had his last name stitched on it, they had his name. Then the fun started. He was getting hostile and harassing calls at home, his mother who worked at a local hotel had her car vandalized on a weekly basis, and strange cars were parking out in front of his home in the middle of the night. The week he resigned, the actions stopped.

Other important issues to address in your protection:

- Of course the drive to and from work. Watch your "6" carefully.
- As you interact with others not in your department, but at your facility, never release your last name. It doesnt take anything for someone to roll your name out to the wrong people, then you will be an easy target.
- Never ever ever disclose your home address. Like stated before, give your work address. When talking or socializing with clients or visitors, try to avoid conversation that will lead you to disclosing where you live, including your town.
- Some of us are car buffs.. dont let it goat you into disclosure. I am a car fanatic, and do not drive my baby to work, nor let anyone know what it is I drive. All it takes is just once of you mentioning that you drive that "Rio Red Viper" and that information getting out, it can be open for problems later. Its not hard to identify people by the cars they drive. Look at what we do, its one of the most important facets we look for in identifying others, and can be done just the opposite on us. So, dont talk about what you drive, or lie about it. Dont disclose your project vehicles, as they tend to stick out anyways, and a later cruise can develop some issues.
- Discussions of home life: This is a big one. You start disclosing your personal life and others will pick up on it. Yes, you may be viewed as a lamo for not "having a life" that is interesting to others, but its safe this way. Things such as marraige, spouses and their lives, children, schools, who works were or what they do, make it easy for those that want us, to find us. "Yeah, my wife works at the bank of chicago on 5th street, she loves it and it pays great!".. Uh-huh! Or even disclosing you are married can put your loved ones in danger. Divorces.. dont disclose that! Its part of public records, same as marriages, and can be looked up according to date or otehr information.
- Insane and paranoid as this may be, but how about public registery. Home phones, online billing info, and so on, if you dont make sure you keep unregistered or on a protective measure, you can be published in the phone book or online under search engines. Credit card offers and billings.. Get a PO box, and register it there. That stuff is available to other agencies that may publish it to the public.
- Dont play where you work! I cant emphasize that one enough. I leave work, I am gone. I dont care to shop where I work, nor socialize with anyone from work other then people in my department. All it takes is for a friendship or relationship to go bad, and not only does it create workplace discomfort, but anything you were personal with that other person becomes public knowledge in a sense. Just make sure it never becomes an issue.
- Right before getting off work, take a wander outside to the "general area" you parked your car, see who and what is sitting out there. Make a mental note of it. Clock out, and as you leave, take another look. Anytone just sitting around? Occupied cars? If so, make contact or aatleast identify them. If that is against a policy in your department, then atleast keep it in mind, and watch it as you leave. This is how so many of us have our property destroyed. Another driving note, LOL!

Just some friendly tips to keep us all safe! The Department of Defense has a bunch of publications that have even more excellent ideas to give some thought!

[BadBoynMD]

As uncosure as it may be, or may have been, at one time while I was on the lower end of the ranking scale, while working in another state, there were similiar laws that applied. "Name plate or tag, and patch identifying agency employed with" was a state requirement. I read the law as carefully as possible, then complied, while still protecting my identity.

My name plate stated "Officer J. Smith". Now is that really my name? No. Was it ethically wrong? Maybe. But PD understood, and I wasnt hassled. I presented to them my correct information, and sometimes used the excuse of "my company is too cheap and hasnt corrected the problem with giving me the wrong nametag", or "It was the shirt I was issued, and as soon as I get my new tag in, I can get it replaced".

I am very big on self protection:

I have actually lost good personnel, that were smart, efficient and intellegent, because of retallitation. My only bi-lingual officer quit on me due to his adventure while off duty. He was playing basketball at a local park, when approached by a small group of a well known gang. They recognized him from an incident the previous month. After looking at his gym bag, which had his last name stitched on it, they had his name. Then the fun started. He was getting hostile and harassing calls at home, his mother who worked at a local hotel had her car vandalized on a weekly basis, and strange cars were parking out in front of his home in the middle of the night. The week he resigned, the actions stopped.

Other important issues to address in your protection:

- Of course the drive to and from work. Watch your "6" carefully.
- As you interact with others not in your department, but at your facility, never release your last name. It doesnt take anything for someone to roll your name out to the wrong people, then you will be an easy target.
- Never ever ever disclose your home address. Like stated before, give your work address. When talking or socializing with clients or visitors, try to avoid conversation that will lead you to disclosing where you live, including your town.
- Some of us are car buffs.. dont let it goat you into disclosure. I am a car fanatic, and do not drive my baby to work, nor let anyone know what it is I drive. All it takes is just once of you mentioning that you drive that "Rio Red Viper" and that information getting out, it can be open for problems later. Its not hard to identify people by the cars they drive. Look at what we do, its one of the most important facets we look for in identifying others, and can be done just the opposite on us. So, dont talk about what you drive, or lie about it. Dont disclose your project vehicles, as they tend to stick out anyways, and a later cruise can develop some issues.
- Discussions of home life: This is a big one. You start disclosing your personal life and others will pick up on it. Yes, you may be viewed as a lamo for not "having a life" that is interesting to others, but its safe this way. Things such as marraige, spouses and their lives, children, schools, who works were or what they do, make it easy for those that want us, to find us. "Yeah, my wife works at the bank of chicago on 5th street, she loves it and it pays great!".. Uh-huh! Or even disclosing you are married can put your loved ones in danger. Divorces.. dont disclose that! Its part of public records, same as marriages, and can be looked up according to date or otehr information.
- Insane and paranoid as this may be, but how about public registery. Home phones, online billing info, and so on, if you dont make sure you keep unregistered or on a protective measure, you can be published in the phone book or online under search engines. Credit card offers and billings.. Get a PO box, and register it there. That stuff is available to other agencies that may publish it to the public.
- Dont play where you work! I cant emphasize that one enough. I leave work, I am gone. I dont care to shop where I work, nor socialize with anyone from work other then people in my department. All it takes is for a friendship or relationship to go bad, and not only does it create workplace discomfort, but anything you were personal with that other person becomes public knowledge in a sense. Just make sure it never becomes an issue.
- Right before getting off work, take a wander outside to the "general area" you parked your car, see who and what is sitting out there. Make a mental note of it. Clock out, and as you leave, take another look. Anytone just sitting around? Occupied cars? If so, make contact or aatleast identify them. If that is against a policy in your department, then atleast keep it in mind, and watch it as you leave. This is how so many of us have our property destroyed. Another driving note, LOL!

Just some friendly tips to keep us all safe! The Department of Defense has a bunch of publications that have even more excellent ideas to give some thought!

One night when I worked for a former company. Where I worked the projects, we decided to be smartasses and put our nametags upside-down. We deal with this one drunk and after 20min trying to figure out our last names he said F it and went on about his business.

[DMS 525]

There was this security guard at this mall where I used to live. Arrogant SOB, full of himself, but that's another story. Anyway, I asked him his name one night, and he told me he couldn't tell me his name. "Top Security", he replied. I immediately told him that was the biggest bunch of B.S. I'd ever heard, and to quit insulting my intelligence. I then advised him that since all he had was a generic badge and a generic shoulder patch identifying him as a security officer, as well as looked scruffy and unprofessional, as far as anyone knew, he was just some impostor pretending to be security for that mall.

Wasn't long after that, hot shot got into it with a bunch of local hoods, and got the crap kicked right out of him! He decided on another occupation.

Anywhere I ever worked, I always wore a distinctive shoulder patch, a nametag with my first and middle initial and last name, and in all but one place, my badge had a distinctive I.D. number on it. Plus, in the agencies I worked, we had to carry our state issued ID card, and present it upon demand under reasonable circumstances.

I've had threats about them knowing where I lived, blah, blah, blah, but I always took that in stride. Did tell a kook here and there that I also carried off duty, so messing with me then would not be a wise choice. Never have had any trouble.

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm used to states where "security guard" or "security officer" patches without the company name are illegal. So, the guy wearing the generic patches is in violation of the law. The caveat to this is that in-house people aren't regulated, so those patches are fine.