A new law went into effect on Oct. 19 that mandates NYPD officers to carry business cards on duty and hand them out when conducting stops.

Known as the Right to Know Act, the law was sponsored and introduced by Councilman Ritchie Torres of the 15th District, who noted the importance of an effective police-civilian relationship in a news conference at his district office in Fordham on Oct. 19. “We cannot improve community relations without first improving day-to-day interactions between police and civilians. Requiring an officer to proactively identify himself serves to de-escalate the encounter,” said Torres.

The business card is pre-printed with the officer’s name, rank, command and shield number. On the back of the card is information that those stopped can use to file a report with the city’s 311 hotline. They can also request video footage from an officer’s body-worn camera.

Additionally, officers must ask those stopped for permission to search them, their car or home, or their property before conducting the search.

Reports to 311 are examined by the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the city’s independent oversight agency. Harya Tarekegn, the agency’s senior counsel for policy and advocacy said, “The Right to Know Act is about making it easier for New Yorkers to understand their rights during an encounter with the police and if necessary, how to comment or complain about that police encounter.” She adds that the CCRB is “prepared for any increase in complaints.”

Determination of when an officer is required to hand out their cards is separated by four levels. Officers are mandated to provide their identification and explain reasoning for the encounter in levels two through four.

In a case of an arrest where probable cause is determined immediately, an officer is not required to present their card.

If the officers run out of cards, they must write their identification on blank cards they carry as backup. Vocal identification is used as a last resort, with the officer allowing the civilian time to write down the information.

Victor Rivera, a community activist with the Bronx Parent Housing Network, said at the news conference, “As a man of color and as a man who has had interactions with the NYPD, both positive, very positive, and negative, I want to say to the NYPD that we are partners.”

Jose Laboy, also at the news conference, said, “[It’s] something that should have happened a long time ago. Business card sharing can be very effective.”

Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) released a statement on the Right to Know Act on Twitter, citing the law will inhibit police officers from doing their jobs well. “As we’ve said from the beginning, the ‘Right to Know’ laws will discourage police officers from proactively addressing crime and disorder and will lead to more frivolous complaints. The City Council has continuously piled on new burdens and second-guessing for our police officers, creating unnecessary distractions for them that will ultimately make NYC a more dangerous place.”