Universal Retired Law Enforcement Police Officer Silver Finish Lapel Pin

This beautiful police lapel pin is suitable for retired officers of all forces, ranks and counties. It is valid for all departements including detectives and street officers, it is suitable for casual wear or for suit wearing occasions, Its looks great on the collar and it's design is force nuetral. Police lapel pins have been around since before America became a nation, used to identify officers and departments while sharing authority. These early badges were typically silver in color with a six pointed star and sometimes a shield around the center. The shield is seen as an indication of strength and protection while the star implies power. At this time, most departments issued badges to members of the Auxiliary and Reserve Police forces with similar motifs as their command officer counterparts. These badges were made out of chrome, nickel, and tin alloy material. Some badges were plated with 24 karat gold and others sprayed with a mix of water and tiny glass beads to give them more texture. Once clean and ready for use, a technician will attach the badge to a pin which fits into a catch that fastens it onto an officer's uniform. The earliest badges worn by rank and file officers were plain silver or gold badges with the seven-pointed star design. Some Command Officer badges featured intricate leafing or scrolling details. These police badges were likely produced in England and Ireland before being brought to America. Some of the oldest examples can be found at museums such as the New-York Historical Society and Boston Museum of Art. These staves and emblems of office were worn by city officials, the Municipal Police, and policemen between 1800-1850. Some bear an eight-pointed star while others feature carved, gilded flames atop them.