Do you know how to look at a law enforcement officer's badge and I.D?

Sheila Bryant is an unusual library student. She is a former correctional officer with training and experience in law enforcement. Sheila is a great bridge for library folks who increasingly need to know how to work with law enforcement.

I met Sheila when I was invited to speak in Florida by the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, thanks to Charlie Parker and Karen Wilber. The session was held at Stetson Law School in a gorgeous new building.

I was upstaged by Hurricane Jeanne. If you can help out - the Florida Library Association has established a hurricane relief fund for libraries and library staff.

Only a day after Jeanne, I was amazed at how many librarians turned out. I'm pretty sure it's because Florida librarians (a lively bunch!) get to deal with a lot of tricky legal scenarios... many more than most groups I've talked with. In fact my rough estimate puts Florida at #1 on "may you live in interesting times" chart.

Back to the point, I asked Sheila to write up some practical advice for librarians, and I'm pleased to see she penned a most useful piece which I post here. I hope she continues to contribute to this blog and to librarianship generally on this topic.

Do you know how to look at a law enforcement officer's badge? Click below for Sheila's advice.

From Sheila:

My educational accomplishments and work experience include: a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology, an Associates of Arts degree in Legal Assisting, four years as a Certified Nursing Assistant, and seven years as a Correctional Officer for the Florida Department of Corrections. Presently, I am a library technician for a community college and enrolled in the Graduate Library and Information Science Program, at the University of South Florida.

21 September 2004, Tuesday, Mary Minow was the key speaker for TBLC’s workshop regarding CIPA and we engaged in a conversation concerning library personnel interaction with law enforcement. My goal is to encourage communication, education, and cooperation for future interaction. I want to speak briefly about what I've seen when law enforcement officers interact with the mental health profession, and how this relates to the library profession.

The law enforcement officers that library personnel are mostly likely to encounter are city police officers or deputy sheriffs. In either case, both have the same training, but their jurisdictions differ. Library personnel should remain respectful. You can ask to speak to the officer in charge and or his supervisor.

You may also ask for identification, which is a photo I.D. and a badge, which is metal in gold or silver metal. Just having a badge does not make one a law enforcement officer -- ask to see both. If you need to make contact with an officer, and wish to take his badge or photo I.D. into your hand, which are usually together in some wallet style carrier, let the officer know. Sudden moves to touch or go toward the officer could be considered hostile and he may react out of years of training. Say, “Officer my vision is not good. I need to see your badge and your I.D. and would like to hold them in my hand to items for my eyesight”. Also let the officer know that you have never read a badge or law enforcement I.D. before and it may take you a moment to read the information. No officer should object to this, unless some situation occurs that would make moment unsuitable. Explain that you understand that they have a job to do, but that you have a chain of command also and you need to place that in effect, because it will be easier to assist them with their requests, by getting the appropriate persons to assist them.

Please understand that officers are tenacious. They have been sent to do a job and their intentions are to complete the mission. Additionally, officers work in hostile situations on a daily basis. They know more about dealing with aggression than harmless librarians and unfortunately they are probably going to approach an aggressive manner. The aggressive manner is why there needs to be training for librarians, because it is and it is meant to be intimidating. Training, I believe, will eliminate the fear and produce competent persons in the face of Deputy Dog showing up with his search warrant or other court order.

Finally, I would like to use the mental health profession as an example. Mental health records, like library records, are protected by law. However, law enforcement and mental health agencies have been able to engage in training. I have seen valuable conversations on each part about how the individual agencies conducted themselves in various workshops and trainings related to the acquisition of patient records. I am suggesting that an olive branch be given from agency to the other to begin dialogue.

In closing, I am no expert, but I think discussion has to begin somewhere and as librarians we have no need to remain ignorant about legal issues that have a direct impact on our occupation.

- Sheila Bryant

Comments

[Mcgill]

I will simply go upto him and ask him for his identification, which is a photo I.D mostly and a badge, which is metal in gold or silver metal, I guess. Just having a badge does not make one a law enforcement officer -- That's why I will ask to see both. This is the way I look at law enforcement.

[Eli]

Thank you for the very informative post. My only comment/addendum:

The basics of handling law enforcement requests need to be conveyed not only to librarians, but also to library support staff, even student workers; the first person approached by the official may not be a degreed librarian or in a professional position to know all of the policies of the library (or the practices encouraged by ALA).