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BPD Seal
  Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore, Maryland 

Badges worn by Baltimore City Police Officers...


Series 1 - Upper Left:
October 20, 1851, the first known metallic badge worn by Baltimore Police Officers - a large six pointed star with Baltimore's official city seal, The War of 1813 "Battle Monument" over the year 1797 (the year Baltimore City was incorporated) in an oval center. Within this oval center, across the top and sides are the words "City Police". Reissued in 1997 to celepbrate our 200th anniversary, officers purchased this badge and wore it for that year only.

Series 2 - Center Badge:
May 1, 1860, a new "Metropolitian Police" force under a Board of Police Commissioner's (BOC), state-appointed civilians, signaled the retirement of the "Corporation Police force" A new badge was authorized. This large oval badge with Roman "fasces", and an axe bound by wooden rods, as its central symbol. Across the top and sides of the "fasces" is a banner with the words "Baltimore Police" in raised letters.

Series 3a & 3b - Upper Right:
June 22,1862, a newly formed Police force appeard in a completely new uniform with a new series of badges. With the same center section of the first badge, and returning the designation of "City Police" surrounded by twenty small points encircled by a narrow rim.

Series 4 - Lower Left:
May 27, 1890, worn with a new uniform by all members of the force. This is a shield-shaped badge with the word "POLICE" across the top, Maryland seal in the center and a ribbon with the officers number across the bottom. Sergeant's and above had an eagle on top of the shield. Leutenants and above wore a badge gold in color. The eagle on the badges had a ribbon in its beak denoting the rank of the officer.

Series 5 - Lower Right:
Badge currently worn by Baltimore Police Officers. With exception to the Series 2 badge the word Baltimore did not appear on any official Police badges. The Series 5 badge is similar to the Series 4 supervisors badge with a new center seal that is the same as worn on the patch. Police Officers and supervisors wear the same badge with the ribbon in the eagles beak denoting the rank. Lieutenant's and above wear the same badge that is gold in color.

Baltimore Police Patches Past and Present

Our Shoulder Patch
The design of the patch is predicated upon historical and significant events that occurred in the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland. The shield on the patch is the Great Seal of Maryland which was brought over from England during the early days of the Colony. The shield or escutcheon bears the Calvert and Crossland arms quartered. The second Lord Baltimore (Cecilius Calvert) adopted this design with the gold and black of the Calverts in upper left and lower right quarters, and the red and white crosses of the Corssland family (the second Lord Baltimore's maternal forebearers) in the lower left and upper right quarters. Superimposed on the shield is the Battle Monument of Baltimore which is the City's official insignia and commomorates the successful defense of Baltimore from the attack by British forces in 1814.

BPD Historian

B of C Report 1861

Baltimore Riot 1861