BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Police officers are no longer required to display their names on their badges after a change in departmental rules.
Officers will now be required to wear badges that show a badge number instead. According to Mayor Byron Brown, the change was made about a week ago due to ongoing concerns for officer safety. Brown says officers have been subjected to online threats targeting them and their families.
In August, concerns arose that officers were covering their names during protests along Hertel Avenue. At that time, the BPD manual stated that, "Uniforms to be worn properly. Name tags must always be displayed on the outer most garment."
The Buffalo PBA had been pushing for the change since August, noting that other departments across the country only require identifiable badge numbers.
Protest organizers say the lack of names violates transparency with the public.
