New Jersey bill would require officers to show faces and identify themselves before arrests

A bill that would require law enforcement officers in New Jersey to show their faces and provide identification before arresting or detaining someone has cleared its first legislative hurdle.

The Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee on Monday advanced A6236, the “Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act,” sponsored by Assembly members Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Annette Quijano, Alixon Collazos-Gill and Gabriel Rodriguez.

The bill would require law enforcement officers — including federal officers operating in New Jersey — to reveal their facial identities while performing official duties and to present sufficient identification before making an arrest or detention.

Reynolds-Jackson said the measure is aimed at protecting both residents and officers amid concerns about masked officers and public mistrust.

“Encountering a masked officer with no clear identification can make people react negatively and even violently,” Reynolds-Jackson (D-Hunterdon, Mercer) said, adding that mutual trust is “essential to maintaining public safety.”

The lawmakers cited a recent Federal Bureau of Investigation bulletin outlining crimes committed by people impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The bulletin recommends ICE agents clearly identify themselves during operations and cooperate with people who seek further verification, such as by calling a local police precinct.

Quijano said the bill is especially important in New Jersey’s immigrant communities, where residents may fear being approached by people they cannot confirm are legitimate officers. By removing masks and identifying themselves, “officers are providing reassurance that they are legitimate law enforcement and not someone impersonating an officer,” Quijano (D-Union) said.

The bill allows exemptions if an officer is working undercover, facing imminent health risks or in other situations where revealing their face could endanger them.

The proposal also defines “sufficient identification” as wearing a department-issued uniform with an agency insignia, carrying a photo ID card, displaying a badge or officer number, or clearly and audibly stating the officer’s name and agency. It would not prevent plainclothes or unmarked officers from intervening in urgent public safety situations.