This is a sign of poor administration by this police department.

Putting patrols out like this is like a cry for help, that says, "I don't want to reach out to other departments that have successfully reduced crime in bad neighborhoods to see what actually works. In fact, I have no idea how to lower crime through effective policing. Instead, I am going to threaten this crap until the voters give in and approve a new mill levy so I can hire more cops - that's the ticket."

I would bet money that most of these cops are dreading this. They know damn well they can't actually stop anybody who isn't reasonably suspected of committing a crime, but you know their administration is going to be all over them to get field interview numbers. Most citizens are either polite or ignorant enough to actually give the cops this information, but it will leave them with a bad taste in their mouth about cops. Although the chief says his officers won't back down from requiring ID, my guess is most of them won't even bother unless the chief is standing on the same street. That's my hope, anyway.

"They may not be doing anything but walking their dog," he said. "But they're going to have to prove it."


That is 100% unconstitutional, and they should know it.

Should an individual not produce identification, Stovall said his officers would not back down. Individuals who do not produce identification when asked could be charged with obstructing a governmental operation, according to Stovall.


Holy God, has this jackass ever been to a police academy?

Somebody in the department needs to call their FOP (or similar) attorney and get an injunction so that this is stopped before cops start getting disciplined for refusing to obey an unlawful order, or worse, obeying the order out of fear and then getting sued.