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The Eugene Police Department has adopted a policy that will limit the situations in which officers can ask people for their Social Security numbers. The policy, believed to one of the first of its kind in the nation, was formed because of concerns about identity theft and civil liberties. Officers now must explain why they are asking for the number and tell people that they aren't required to give it. "If the person chooses not to give it, we won't demand it," Police Chief Jim Lehner said. The policy states that officers typically won't request a Social Security number during routine traffic stops or when questioning a person. They also won't ask victims and witnesses for the information. Police will ask for the nine-digit identifier when making an arrest or for citations that normally would generate an arrest warrant if a suspect fails to appear in court. The number also may be requested in cases of missing persons and runaway juveniles, and when determining if someone is the subject of an outstanding warrant. The change should also ease concerns of minorities that police ask for their Social Security numbers to detect immigration violations, or to feed federal agencies names for terrorism watch lists.
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