TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – One day after more than 100 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Tallahassee with the help of the Florida Highway Patrol, an email shared with News 6 appears to show some troopers in Central Florida may have been given direction not to wear their name tags during future ICE operations.
News 6 spent hours calling and emailing both the FHP office in Orlando and the headquarters in Tallahassee on Friday after a source shared the email with our team.
It reads in part: “There has been a lot of activity and many recordings of us posted online when working with ICE. For officer safety, remove your name tag from your Class B uniforms only when working Operation Closeout.”
The email goes on to direct troopers to put their name tag back on when returning to regular shift or working a non-official patrol job.
Our team has asked FHP to provide more context and scope about the email, and we have not yet received a response.
News 6 did search the agency’s policy manual, which is available to the public. It has detailed descriptions for the Florida Highway Patrol’s uniforms and personal appearance.
A picture of the “Class B” uniform shows troopers in khaki trousers and short-sleeved shirts, with a name plate above the pocket.
The policy manual states, “The Class B Uniform shall be worn with the items placed in accordance with this policy and the photo below. No variations shall be allowed without the expressed authorization of the Director or designee.”
Video taken in Tallahassee this week shows troopers in different uniforms, including “Class B,” during an undocumented immigration raid at a construction site.
The agency has often shared images on social media of its participation in similar operations, part of its cooperation with ICE and other law enforcement partners.
During a news conference in Tampa earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the FHP is leading immigration enforcement efforts across the United States.
“There’s not a single law enforcement agency that’s gotten in this fight more deeply than our FHP troopers,” said Gov. DeSantis.
You can read the full FHP policy manual below:
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