Tips for Smart Cops Series
Production of Warrant Cards

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1. A police officer in plain clothes, whether he is on or off duty, when dealing with members of the public, shall identify himself and produce his warrant card when exercising his police powers. (PGO 20-16)

2. Police officers in uniform should produce their warrant cards upon the request of members of the public, except under three situations, namely, when "the circumstances do not allow" its production, or "to do so would prejudice the police action and/or safety of the officers concerned" or "the request is unreasonable". (PGO 20-16)

3. The reasonableness of a request is a matter of judgement for the officer to whom the request is made. He shall have regard to the overall circumstance and must be prepared to justify his decision. As a general principle, officers should understand that the requirement for uniformed officers to produce their warrant cards upon request is to satisfy one specific purpose - to establish an officer's status as a properly appointed police officer and hence his authority to enforce the law. It follows that where doubt of an officer's being properly appointed may reasonably arise from a particular circumstance, a request for the production of a uniformed officer's warrant card should be considered reasonable, for example, when an officer is in non-standard uniform or when he is seeking to enter private premises to execute his duties.

4. The requirement for the production of warrant cards is not designed to satisfy the curiosity of members of the public or to provide a ready means for unco-operative individuals to obstruct an officer's lawful duties. Nevertheless, there are circumstances in which a request may be considered reasonable even if an officer's police appointment is not in doubt. Officers should always act flexibly and in accordance with the principle of quality service.

5. If a police officer in uniform is unable to produce his warrant card under the first or second situations mentioned in item 2 above, the officer should produce the warrant card at the earliest opportune moment thereafter. (PGO 20-16)

6. Where police officers do not produce their warrant cards upon request, either because the request for production was unreasonable or it could not be subsequently complied with, the officer must make an explanatory note in his police notebook. (PGO 20-16)

7. Where a group of uniformed police officers are operating together, for example during a licence raid, only one of them needs to produce his warrant card on request. (PGO 20-16)

(This column is contributed by the Complaints and Internal Investigations Branch)