Show us Your Vintage Police Gear

[V.C. Brunswick]

There's already a militaria thread so I thought it would be neat to start a police gear thread to show off your vintage police uniforms, headgear, weapons, badges or vehicles.

Russian Police Badge
(circa 1990s-2012)
This example was worn by the GAI (Gosudarstvennaya Avtomobil'naya Inspektsiya) or the State Automobile Inspectorate branch of the Russian Police which combines the functions of DMV and Highway Patrol.

 

[green papaya]

here is my West German gas mask with metal storage canister, the mask is mfg by DRAGER and dated Feb 1958, the carrying can is marked AUER and has extra gas mask lenses stored under the lid

the helmet with net is a West German M40/52 as used by West German Police and Border Guards / BGS

 

[green papaya]

French Gendarmerie M51 steel helmet with badge, the shell is mfg by Carpentier Cusset and dated 1964 , This helmet is complete with matching blue liner & chin straps. The same type of helmet they would have used during the Paris riots back in 1968 as shown in news photos.

The Gendarmerie Nationale is one of France’s oldest institutions. They are the Military police forces of France

 

[green papaya]

Here's a World War Two US MP's helmet liner and leather holster with web pistol belt as used by the US Army Military Police

Mfg by the Westinghouse Electric Company (Micarta Division)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The helmet liner has been painted white with the letter "MP" painted in bold black lettering for the Military Police use, just like the soldier shown in the photo.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Dorozhnyy Patrul'naya Sluzhba (DPS) or Road Patrol Service of the Russian Police
Russian highway patrol badges in use from 1993 to 2011. In 2011 the Soviet-era name of Militsiya (Militia) was changed to the more universal Politsiya (Police).

DPS officer wearing the old pocket badge

Full size badge

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Watch commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Ukrainian traffic police (1996).

 

[Kirk H.]

Man, those are some cool items. How Vintage are you looking for? I have my original badge from 1990 when we were Charlotte PD. In 1993 we merged with the county PD and became Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD (there is still the Mecklenburg County Sheriff, which handles the jail, civil processes, warrants, and Courthouse) We got new badges and new patches after the merger. I still have some old shirts with the CPD patch. I need to take some photos and post them when I get some time.

Kirk

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Man, those are some cool items. How Vintage are you looking for? I have my original badge from 1990 when we were Charlotte PD. In 1993 we merged with the county PD and became Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD (there is still the Mecklenburg County Sheriff, which handles the jail, civil processes, warrants, and Courthouse) We got new badges and new patches after the merger. I still have some old shirts with the CPD patch. I need to take some photos and post them when I get some time.

Kirk

Post 'em if you've got 'em.

 

[Kirk H.]

For some reason it is not allowing me to post the pics. Any suggestions on sites to use...Flickr does not seem to

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Try Imgur. That's the one that I use.

 

[Kirk H.]

This is the Charlotte PD badge. The shape is of a hornets nest. The hornets nest goes back to the American Revolution when Lord Cornwallis named Mecklenburg county a "Hornets nest of rebellion" The hornets nest badge was designed in 1962. After the spring of 1990 Patrolman was replaced with Officer to acknowledge the growing number of women entering the field. On October 1, 1993 the Charlotte PD merged with the Mecklenburg County PD to become the Charlotte Mecklenburg PD. The Hornets Nest badge was kept just enlarged to fit Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.

The Hornets Nest was also incorporated into the patch.
Kirk

 

[Kirk H.]

The CPD patch.

The CMPD Patch which replaced the Eagle in 1994. The three Hornets Nests represents Charlotte's past, present, and future.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Ukrainian Highway Police patch

 

[TPD166]

I keep this one out on display and will look for some other items that are put away - 1920-40s steel/doughboy Police helmet (unknown agency).

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Russian Police Visor Cap -- highway patrol version.
(c.1996-2016)

 

[Turnip]

Prussian Border Police Hirschfänger, 20“ blade, Late 19th century.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Tolland (Massachusetts) Police Department
Tolland is a small village near Springfield, MA whose police force in 2022 is composed of six (a Chief, a Sergeant and 4 Officers). It was probably even smaller back in the day.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Veracruz, Mexico Transit Police collar insignia.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Mexican Federal Police (defunct)

Popularly known as the "Federales," the Policía Federal (PF) was founded in 1928 and existed in various iterations over the years. It was disbanded in 2019 and replaced by the Guardia Naciónal (GN) which combined the former PF with the Military Police branches of the Mexican Army and Navy.






"Internal Affairs" (Asuntos Internos)


088 is the number of the police hotline in Mexico to receive tips from the public.






SSP = Ministry of Public Security (Secretario Seguridad Publico)

 

[Johnny Boy]

Here's my vintage Chicago PD jacket. Bought this from Nates when they were on West 63rd I believe about 30 or so years ago. $120. US.
It came with the Octagon and flag of Chicago shoulder patches but I knew they'd had been added in order to hang on the wall. I kept the Flag patch because it's cool and for obvious reasons (and respect for actual law enforcement) removed the police patch. Neither were used in the 70's.
If you look closely under the flag patch you can see where there had been the original shield style police patch and under that, presumably a corporal, or sargent stripes.
The only thing I believe that isn't accurate is the silver metal buttons, which my research tells me should have been a gold type plating.

This is my motorcyle jacket all year until it gets too hot to wear in the summer.

I'm estimating this to be somewhere between 1974 and 1980, but I can't know for sure. Any Chicago members active or retired feel free to suggest an approximate year.