US · guidance
BOP Program Statement 3420.14 § 13
CREDENTIALS
Bureau credentials or badges will not be used to coerce, intimidate, or deceive others.
Identification issued by the Bureau may only be used by employees for official purposes.
Employees may not obtain or use identification cards, credentials, or badges from sources other
3420.14 5/15/2026 PROPERTY OF US GOVERNMENT 17
than the Bureau, that give the appearance of being an official Bureau or law enforcement
identification card, credential, or badge. Employees may use Bureau-issued identification cards
and credentials to prove government employment for purposes of permissible discounts offered
to a broad class of government employees.
Bureau identification cards, credentials, and/or badges may be used by employees to verify
Bureau employment to any entity. However, employees may not disclose their Bureau position
or use Bureau-issued identification cards, credentials, or badges to persuade any law enforcement
officer or entity to refrain from making an arrest or issuing a traffic citation.
With respect to the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), employees may present
their Bureau identification cards, credentials, or badges when necessary to verify Bureau
employment. However, employees should not use their credentials to confirm eligibility under
LEOSA, as Bureau cards, credentials, and badges do not confer such eligibility. Employees have
an independent obligation to ensure they meet all the legally required criteria under LEOSA to
carry a personal firearm. Guidance on employee’s responsibilities under LEOSA can be found in
the memorandum titled “Guidance Regarding the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act
(LEOSA).”
Off-duty employees must not misrepresent that they are acting in furtherance of their official
Bureau duties. Employees may never use Bureau-issued identification cards, credentials, or
badges to represent that it is a Bureau requirement to carry a personal firearm on or off duty.
Doing so may result in appropriate disciplinary action up to and including removal.
History
PS 3420.14 dated 2026-05-15
Provenance
- Source
- bop.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-20
- Edition
- bop-ps-2026-09-20
- Content hash
7e2d5c6ab3ac5fa6be3864f715510bf6ea519ecba8a5d4d2b1c06d63aeef5527
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