We had our policy and procedures manuals for NY State Corrections. As Peace Officers, we were required to comport ourselves so as not to bring a bad light on the Department. We weren’t restricted from identifying ourselves as officers, but were restricted from claiming we were speaking for the Department as a whole.
I'm surprised your manuals would even say something like this. The phrase "bring a bad light on the Department" is so vague that it can be bent or abused so much that it is basically meaningless.