Officers at Lichfield District Council have been issued with new smart warrant cards to ensure they can be identified by residents and businesses.
The local authority has introduced them in environmental health, planning enforcement and licensing departments.
The new cards include a QR code which links to a webpage detailing all officers at the council along with photos to help identify them and allow them to be checked against the information on the physical cards.
Cllr Richard Cox, Lichfield District Council’s cabinet member for community engagement, said:
“There have been recent high-profile cases in the UK of people using fake or stolen warrant cards to take advantage of others, including environmental health warrant cards.
“I hope the presentation of these warrant cards raises confidence in the service, will increase interaction with vulnerable people, and support the officers to do their job without hindrance.”
Cllr Richard Cox, Lichfield District Council
The council is also considering issuing ‘smart’ identification to public-facing officers in other service areas.
James Johnson, regulation and enforcement manager at Lichfield District Council, said:
“From ensuring food served in the district is safe to eat and factories don’t pollute the air, to licensing pubs and monitoring building development to catching fly-tippers and shutting down puppy farms, Lichfield District Council officers work tirelessly on behalf of residents.
“This presentation is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the significance of having a warrant card and the contribution our officers make every single day.”
James Johnson, Lichfield District Council
