Local Law Enforcement to be issued Homeland Security Badges?

I know. It's happening to me. I work for a small department in the midwest. By small I mean greater than ten, and smaller than one hundred.

I went into work tonight, and found in my mailbox 2 three page applications.

The first page has general personal information, the type of stuff found on a Driver's License.

The second page has medical questions on it, a lot of things I found totally unneccessary, and intrusive.

The third page wanted you to list "specialties" and "qualifications."

This was never discussed with us. The forms just appeared, and a memo was posted giving a general explanation. It basically said that we were getting these "badges" and the info we provided would be encoded into a magnetic strip, the contents of which could only be accessed by personnel who were in possession of an authorized scanner (whoever that would be was not addressed).

The reason for the cards was justified by saying that first responders, in the event of an "incident" or "catastrophe" (also not explained) would need these "badges" to be allowed on site.

When I asked a Deputy about it, he had never heard about it. When I showed him, we proceeded to wonder why this was happening.

I'd never heard of this, and can't find any media coverage of similar events happening elsewhere. Has anyone else heard anything? I'd kinda like to have the option of seeking other employment, in case the mandatory rectal probes get underway.

I will not post copies of the memos, and nothing stated that this was "secret" information. I actually found a copy of the forms on the internet. Just to be on the safe side though, I am not, and never will be suicidal, and if I am found and labeled to be such, it is a lie. CYA and all.....

God bless.