What do the stars on a police badge mean?

Why are sheriff badges cast in the shape of a star? Early societies often saw the sign of the star as having magical qualities, and anyone that wore this symbol could protect others and ward off evil influences. Such beliefs were highly popular back in early times and were highly influential among society.

Why do sheriff badges have 7 points?

Originally Answered: Why does a sheriff badge have 6 points? Not all of them do have 6 points. Some have 5, some have more than 6 points.

What does a 7 point star mean?

The heptagram was used in Christianity to symbolize the seven days of creation and became a traditional symbol for warding off evil.

Why do police agencies wear seven point stars on their badges?

Seven point stars are not intuitive at all, and I have no idea how police agencies came to wear them. Police agencies in the northeast tend to favor shields over stars, often with a different design for each rank. The designs often mirror NYPD badges, which makes sense, since it’s by far the largest agency in the region.

What do badbadge numbers mean for police officers?

Badge numbers are the most common method of serializing police officers, with lower numbers designating an earlier hire. However, at some agencies badge numbers are re-issued as officers leave the agency, and the badge number may not even stay with the officer his entire career.

What is the shape of the sheriff badge?

For some departments the Sheriff badge is a five pointed, free sitting star. For others, it is a six pointed star that has a shape reminiscent of the Star of David.

Can peace officers design their own badges?

Peace officers, then and now, can design their own badges. In frontier towns, they often made badges out of materials at hand that ranged from silver coins to lids off tin cans, hence “tin star.” Although the five-pointed star is the most common of these designs, some agencies had six-, seven-, eight- or nine-point stars for badges.