It's not about IDs for cops. It's about WTO

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Susan Paynter

It's not about IDs for cops. It's about WTO

Art Thiel
Monday, September 25, 2000

By SUSAN PAYNTER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST

Badges? Do they need more stinking badges?

Definitely, say some members of Seattle's very busy City Council.

Seattle police officers must be required to wear clearly visible name tags or patches sewn or otherwise affixed at all times to the outermost article of clothing.

The full council could vote as early as today on the proposal by Peter Steinbrueck. He was unable to return a call on Friday, so it's unclear if the edict is aimed at other police as well, not to mention parking enforcement officers. But, for sure, they're starting with the SPD.

Why?

WTO, of course.

Trust me. If there is a particle of hay to be mown for fodder by keeping WTO in the news, you can count on some council members to do it.

It will be key in coming campaigns to remind voters that Mayor Paul Schell may have dozed at the wheel while possible opponents are awake to the tiniest details.

The game of pin-the-name-on-the-officer arose from concerns that some officers on duty during last fall's World Trade Organization meeting couldn't be easily identified.

Mike Edwards of the Seattle Police Officers Guild thinks the whole thing is more than a bit silly, not to mention redolent of political motive.

On Friday, he explained that the SPD already has a policy in place that name tags and serial numbers be displayed on hats and helmets.

What happened during WTO, he said, is that rain slickers were issued to some officers -- mostly county cops -- at the last minute due to weather. In a few cases, those slickers covered up an officer's name badge. Meanwhile, most of the SPD's finest stood in the rain, names and all, getting soaked.

Policy also provides more tags to be issued so names can be visible on outerwear. And new ID helmet covers have been issued, too.

Not only that, but officers are disciplined if they fail to identify themselves on request.

In other words, Edwards says, the idea that this is a pressing problem is bogus. A bit of political posturing without legitimate purpose.

What's worse, Edwards claims, is the council writing policy via ordinance for the Police Department. "If you're going to do it that way, why bother to have a police chief?" Edwards asked. "If they start legislating (police) policy and this becomes the law of the land, does the chief have to go back to them again to make any changes?"

To be fair, Steinbrueck did issue a statement assuring everybody that the proposal is not a first move toward the council micromanaging police policy and procedures.

And, for now, there's a suggestion that officers' wives and mommies sew name tags into all their underwear, as I did this weekend before sending my son off on a school overnight.

Still, there remains the question of how far this goes?

How about Braille tags? Or labels spelling names in the many alphabets of this multicultural city?

This issue could keep the City Council busy for some time to come.

West Precinct Capt. Jim Pugel admitted on Friday that he's a bit puzzled by the name tag hullabaloo, too. And he made an interesting point when he said that all public officials ought to be willing to be readily identifiable to the public by name.

You know, that's not a bad idea.

So how about starting with members of the City Council? Each member could be issued a stack of name badges to sew or otherwise affix to the outermost layer of his or her clothing.

It could say something friendly. Maybe even work in a marketing slogan for future campaigns. How about, "Hi! My name is Peter Steinbrueck, the hardest-working man in city politics."?

Susan Paynter's column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Call her at 206-448-8392 or send e-mail to: susanpaynter@seattle-pi.com