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Ulster County sets public hearing for law requiring police to display identification during public interactions
Summary
The committee set a May 19, 2026 public hearing on a proposed local law that would require law enforcement officers to display identifying information and state their agency and name/badge number when asked; the Department of Human Rights would administer the law and hire staff including an impartial hearing officer.
Ulster County’s committee voted April 14 to set a public hearing on a local law that would require law-enforcement officers to display identifying information and respond with agency and name or badge number during public-facing activities.
The public hearing on proposed Local Law 7 of 2026 is scheduled for May 19 at 7:15 p.m., under the terms of Resolution 190. Deputy executive staff explained the proposed law requires visible identification and a prompt verbal statement of agency and last name and/or badge number when asked, while carving out exceptions for operational and safety needs. The text also limits face coverings that obstruct identification except for narrowly defined circumstances (safety equipment, extreme cold, etc.).
Deputy Executive Amenta and other administration staff told legislators most local law enforcement agencies already have similar policies and had reviewed the proposed text; they said agencies expressed support after clarifying questions. The resolution also creates an administering authority—identified in the text as the Department of Human Rights—which would be expected to use its budget to hire an administrative attorney and a neutral hearing officer to manage complaints and hearings.
Legislators expressed broad support for accountability, though some raised legal questions. Deputy Chair Lopez said she supports identification but noted concerns the law could raise supremacy-clause challenges and reserved deeper comments until the hearing. One legislator said the fine level could be higher, and others asked for more detail about the administering authority’s structure and budget implications.
The committee moved and passed the resolution to hold a public hearing; sponsors said they welcome public comment at the May hearing and will bring clarified operational details and exceptions for discussion.
Next steps: a public hearing is set for May 19, 2026, and the law will return to the Legislature for further consideration after public testimony.
