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RCMP allows officers to use regimental numbers instead of name tags
The RCMP has changed its uniform policy so officers are no longer required to wear name tags while on duty. Since March 30, members can choose to display either their surname or a unique five-digit regimental number on their uniform.
The change was introduced in response to concerns about online harassment and doxing. RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Maj. Julie Gagnon said officers have been targeted online and that some have had their private information exposed after their surnames were made public. In some cases, officers have received death threats. The force says a regimental number provides a unique means of identifying an officer while reducing the risk of personal information being found through online searches.
Halifax defence lawyer Asaf Rashid has criticized the policy, arguing that members of the public should be able to identify officers more easily, particularly during rapidly developing incidents. He said people may find it difficult to remember a five-digit number in a stressful situation and argued that officers should display both their names and regimental numbers.
The issue was also examined in a 2024 report by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP. The commission investigated an incident in British Columbia in which officers removed their name tags during a protest. It found that removing names without another form of identification was unreasonable and could make police accountability more difficult. Although the RCMP subsequently permitted regimental numbers as an alternative during protests, the commission said numbers could still be difficult for members of the public to remember. It recommended prominent, simple identification codes on the front and back of officers' uniforms during public demonstrations.
The RCMP maintains that officers remain accountable and that members of the public can identify an officer when making a complaint by providing either the officer's name or regimental number.
