- The Observer, Sunday February 2 2003
London's Metropolitan Police, Britain's biggest force, is to introduce name badges for officers. Now the capital's criminals will know just who is kicking down their door shouting: 'You're nicked!'
But the plan faces criticism from the police union, which says name badges will lead to some officers becoming the butt of jokes.
'There might be an officer Dibble,' said Glen Smythe, chairman of London's Police Federation 'I know one officer called Diaper. He's just retired, probably a good thing if he would have had to wear a name badge on the streets.'
The scheme will be phased in over two to three years, despite protests from the federation that it could also harm recruitment from ethnic minority groups, who can have lengthy surnames that might not fit easily on to a badge. 'We are having some success in recruiting people from ethnic minorities, but there are practical difficulties with name badges. I know one officer from Sri Lanka who is called Vasanathanyopanathan. That is is going to be some name badge. He will need both shoulders to fit it on,' Smythe said.
The plan is aimed at increasing public confidence by getting rid of the system of having numbers on uniforms. The badge will include first name and surname, but not rank. 'It is presenting a person, rather than an official,' said a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Authority.
Undercover police will not have to wear badges and officers will be free to remove them in situations where they feel the need to conceal their identity. The scheme will cost between £60,000 and £300,000.
'I think the public would be more reassured by having the money spent on making them safer, not on letting them know their local bobby is PC Fred Bloggs,' Smythe said.
