After a slew of scams involving thieves impersonating city employees, Crown Point, Indiana has launched a new employee identification card program. This month, all city employees will receive ID cards which they must carry during working hours. Public works employees, and those who deal directly with the public, will be required to keep their badges visibly displayed.

Most of the recent scams involved people entering homes under the guise of municipal workers. On at least six occasions, thieves have used this technique to break into and rob homes. City officials hope the new ID card program will prevent these types of burglaries by allowing residents to verify the identity of any city employee who comes to their door. Each card contains a phone number and an employee ID number. Before entering a home, the employee must allow the homeowner to call the number which connects to a police dispatcher who will ask a security question to verify the employee’s status. The program is designed to protect the citizens as well as the city employees.