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Public raises concerns about ICE and agency identification; police chief says local rules require badge disclosure
Summary
During public comment the council heard calls to require federal agents to identify themselves and follow badge-number practices; the police chief said local officers must provide name and badge when asked and that some federal agencies do not notify local police when operating in the city.
A public commenter at the Perth Amboy City Council meeting on Jan. 14 urged the council to address how outside federal law enforcement agencies identify themselves when operating in the city and asked the council to review an assembly committee bill calling for clearer identification by officers.
"I think it's important whether this particular bill was approved or not or signed that this is important since we do have immigrants and we do have people who are in need of discussing these kinds of issues in Perth Amboy," the commenter said during the public comment portion, urging the council to take up the issue in its public-safety committee.
Police Chief (name not stated in the transcript) responded that the local department’s policy and procedures require officers to provide their name and badge number when a member of the public requests it, except in rare undercover situations or where medical coverings are required. The chief said undercover identity concealment is limited and that routine face coverings are not departmental policy outside those narrow contexts.
The chief also told the council that local police are sometimes not notified in advance when certain federal agencies operate in the municipality. "It appears that, yes, for the most part [they] do not notify us," he said, explaining that the department does receive notifications from some federal or state agencies (for example, FBI or DEA) when coordination is needed, but not necessarily from all outside entities.
Why it matters: Residents who are immigrants and their advocates say clarity about who is conducting enforcement actions is important to protect civil rights and build trust. City officials said the local department is bound by state and federal rules and cannot unilaterally impose identification requirements on outside federal agencies.
What the council said: Council members acknowledged the concern and confirmed that the local police department would be the proper body to report on day-to-day identification practices and public-safety implications. The chief said the department would continue to provide information to the public and would respond to requests, consistent with departmental policy and state guidance.
Source: Public comment and police chief remarks, Perth Amboy City Council meeting transcript, Jan. 14, 2026.
