Ulster County Executive Discusses Proposed Law to Require Officers to Identify Themselves

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has introduced a local law aimed at ensuring that law enforcement officers can be clearly identified during public-facing operations, including those involving federal, state, and local agencies.

The proposed legislation, titled the “Baseline Standards for Law Enforcement Identifiability Law,” would require officers to display visible identification, such as a name and badge number, and to provide that information verbally upon request. It also establishes a presumption against wearing facial-concealing masks, with exceptions for legitimate operational needs such as undercover work or protective equipment.

Metzger says the law is intended to improve public safety and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the community.

“This has actually been on my mind for quite some time. I’d say most people are extremely troubled by the tactics of ICE and communities across the country. And it’s pretty basic to democracy. You have to have public trust,” Metzger said.
“And that public trust is really absent if you can’t identify the person who is enforcing the law. And we’ve seen it’s created some really dangerous situations. It’s a public safety issue both for residents and for officers generally. So what the law does is basically set a baseline expectation that when authority is exercised in public, it should be identifiable.”

Metzger emphasized that the law is not targeted at any specific agency.

“It is creating a county-wide standard that applies to any officers or agents enforcing the law within Ulster County. So local, county, state, federal,” she said.
“Basically, what it requires is that first of all, there is a general prohibition against face coverings, although there are some very important exceptions because there are legitimate reasons why law enforcement would have to be wearing a mask. It also requires that officers or agents wear a badge that clearly identifies their name and includes their identifying number. And if asked by a member of the public to identify themselves, they have to do so.”

The law is designed as an administrative standard, not a criminal regulation. Complaints would be handled by the Ulster County Human Rights Department, which would investigate any alleged violations with the help of administrative counsel and a hearing officer. Possible actions for noncompliance could include warnings or fines.

“Enforcement is going to be an administrative process and not a criminal process,” Metzger explained.
“The plan is for me to designate the Department of Human Rights for that, which makes sense because they routinely take complaints from the public and investigate them to make sure human rights laws are followed. There will be an administrative attorney procuring for the process, and they’ll undertake the investigation. They have a range of actions they can take: it could be a warning, it could be a fine, and penalties could increase with repeat violations.”

Metzger noted that the law could apply to federal agencies, including ICE, even though federal authorities have sometimes resisted similar local measures.

“It applies to all enforcement agencies, including ICE. It operates much like speed limits or other traffic safety laws. We have the power to create laws, and they can’t just be broken by any authority, whether federal or state. There is still important value in creating that standard and having an unambiguous standard of identifiability. It enables us to document violations, investigate, and record them.”

Support from local law enforcement was key to moving the proposal forward. Metzger said she consulted with Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, who supports the principle of officer identifiability.

“He said anonymity undermines oversight and transparency. It is the standard practice of our local county and state law enforcement to be identifiable. That is basic to public safety in interactions, and critical to transparency and accountability in a constitutional democracy. He was very supportive of it, and that was important for us to move forward.”

Metzger framed the law as part of her broader approach to public safety and government accountability.

“I feel very confident in this law that it would stand up to any legal challenge because it is nondiscriminatory and consistent with constitutional rights. Everyone has a right to petition the government if wrongly accused, but you can’t do that if the officer is not identifiable. This law ensures that basic constitutional right.”

The county executive also pointed to other jurisdictions considering or implementing similar policies, noting growing national interest in officer identifiability and accountability.

“There’s a law in New Jersey, and there was a law in Los Angeles County that was challenged. The problem with their law was that it discriminated against certain officers, whereas ours creates a general, county-wide standard. The more counties and states move in this direction, the more likely it is that this can be addressed nationwide.”

For residents who may be skeptical about the law’s purpose, Metzger emphasized public safety and constitutional rights.

“The most important is public safety, first and foremost. If you can’t identify someone enforcing the law, you can’t tell if they’re impersonating an officer, which puts everyone’s safety at risk. Long-term, this protects people’s constitutional rights and democracy itself. Transparency and accountability are foundational principles. Without them, government risks resembling paramilitary operations rather than a democratic system.”

If the Ulster County Legislature approves the measure during its April session, the proposed law will advance to a public hearing in May.

Image: Jen Metzger at her Election Night victory party in 2023. (Jesse King / WAMC / New York Public News Network)