County officials and other law enforcement employees are now sporting identification badges around Crenshaw County.

The badges are part of a new identification program started by the National Incident Management System.

Those who are now wearing the new ID tags include anyone in law enforcement, fire department, county officials, and courthouse employees.

“Basically anyone who receives a Homeland Security grant has to wear one of these,” said Jessica Tomlin-Seabrook, Crenshaw County Emergency Management Agency director.

“What is on the badges depends on what each department wants,” said Tomlin-Seabrook.

Information on the badges may include the county, department, employee’s name and a photo.While this is new to the Crenshaw County area, it is not a fleeting fad because these credential badges are to be used permanently.

“I think it’s a very good idea…it will identify the employees of the courthouse and the county officials,” said Ronnie Hudson, Commission Chairman.

The program is part of the new standards that the N.I.M.S has set for the year 2009 that is becoming a nationwide plan, Tomlin-Seabrook said.

Though wearing badges is nothing new, the program is to identify those who go to an emergency scene or attend to a particular crisis situation.