What information must police officers provide when exercising their powers?

When police officers exercise their powers, they are required to notify individuals of their intentions and the grounds for taking action. This is essential for maintaining transparency and accountability in police operations. By explaining their intentions, officers help individuals understand why they are being approached or detained, fostering trust in the policing process. Additionally, providing the grounds for their actions helps ensure that police powers are not exercised arbitrarily and that the public can see that officers are acting within the law.

Respecting this principle is important not only for the protection of individual rights but also for the integrity of the police force as a whole. It establishes a clear communication channel between law enforcement and the community, helping to prevent escalation and ensuring that interactions are as safe and orderly as possible.

The other options, while related to police procedures, do not encompass the specific legal obligations officers have regarding transparency with the public during their duties. Knowing an officer's rank and badge number, for instance, may be useful for accountability, but it does not directly address the necessity of informing individuals about the reasons for the police action.