The Tories say they will end what they call the “automatic privacy” of criminals, by giving police powers to reveal their identities to the public.
The party says public safety is coming second to the rights of some criminals, including dangerous fugitives.
It blames the Human Rights Act, which it has pledged to abolish if elected.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw called the Tory plan a “deeply confused populist announcement”, which ignored the fact that police already had such powers.
Read more on The BBC.