New identification epaulettes for officers after G20
Up to 8,000 police officers who tackle public order issues have been given new embroidered identification epaulettes.
The badges, which cost £22,000, will replace metal badges after complaints that they are easily knocked off.
The move comes after the force was criticised over reports of several officers not displaying badges during the G20 protests in London in April.
But the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), the force's governing body, said the move was "limited" in scope.
During the G20 protests activists reported many officers were not displaying their identification badges which led Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson to warn that any officer caught deliberately obscuring his or her identification would be sacked.
Any officer not wearing their identification number while on duty is breaching the basic principle of the police being accountable to the public they serve
MPA member Dee Doocey
A review of badges worn by public order officers was ordered following complaints that they were easily knocked off.
Members of the territorial support group, dog handlers and some borough officers will be among the officers who receive the new epaulettes.
A Met spokesman said: "More than 8,000 public order trained officers have been issued with embroidered epaulettes, which replace the traditional metal letters and numerals.
"All other officers are issued with two embroidered name badges that are interchangeable between garments.
"We are in the process of ensuring that all officers have been re-issued with these where necessary."
Dee Doocey, a member of the MPA, called for the epaulettes to be given to all Met officers.
She said: "Any officer not wearing their identification number while on duty is breaching the basic principle of the police being accountable to the public they serve.
"This limited proposal must now be extended to cover every officer in the Met."
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats