Early Rhode Island Municipal Police Insignia

With 288 illustrations. 

By Jim Ignasher

Updated October, 2020 

Updated July, 2023

 

     Today’s police officers wear a patch on the left shoulder of their uniform which identifies their agency.  The patch is usually multi-colored, depicting a municipal seal or something else representative of the town or city.   However, there was a time when such emblems were plain and simple, stating only the department’s name with the word “police” added. This wasn’t due to any lack of imagination on the part of police chiefs. It had more to do with loom technology of the time and keeping costs low. 

     Some of these early examples are hard to find today, for not only were they produced in relatively small numbers because police departments had fewer officers, they were usually discarded when they became obsolete.  Furthermore, modern collectors have generally overlooked them in favor of the more elaborate designs which came later. It’s only in recent times that the historic value of these early emblems has been recognized.

     Rarer still can be the uniform patches worn by part-time officers.  Over the years many police departments appointed part-time officers to supplement the regular paid force.   These officers were known as constables, reserves, auxiliaries, and specials, depending on the municipal charter.  They might work one or two days a month, of fill-in as needed for special details, or work any other assignment deemed necessary by the chief.  Sometimes these officers wore their own insignia which clearly differentiated them from the regular force. 

     In most cases these part-time officers performed the same police duties as the regular officers, and therefore faced the same risks and dangers of the job, but there were some who viewed them as not being “real” police officers.  Consequently early emblems worn by these officers have largely been ignored by collectors and thus fewer have survived.      

 Another area of interest are the “special unit” patches worn by  certain divisions within the department such as a Dive Team,  Traffic Division, K-9, or Honor Guard, just to name a few.  In many cases these patches were produced in small numbers due to the limited number of officers assigned, and if the unit disbanded no more were ordered.  In other cases the patches went through a style change with “old” ones being discarded.  Sometimes the “special unit”, patches were only worn unofficially on windbreakers, work suits,  or in the case of an honor guard, on dress uniforms.  Examples of these patches can be hard to come by. 

     Perhaps the rarest insignia are the unaccepted prototype emblems produced for a police department when considering a style change.  In most cases only a handful would be produced, (generally about five or six), by a manufacturer and then presented to the chief for consideration.  If the prototypes were approved, then they were produced in large numbers, however, in cases where the prototypes were rejected, the emblems were generally disposed of, or kept by an interested officer. 

     This article depicts examples of Rhode Island’s earliest known municipal police insignia. They were culled from a private collection begun in the 1970s.  Many are “first issues”, meaning they were the first patch worn by the agency however, in some instances no “first issues” are known to exist. Therefore, the earliest succeeding issues are represented. Most of the examples depicted are long obsolete having been replaced by various succeeding issues.   In some cases the current issue patch is also shown.   

     Sources for this article include the 1970 and 1971 yearbooks of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.  These rare publications depict images of the uniform patches worn by each department at the time, as well as information about each department’s size and rank structure.     

     The history of law enforcement patches coincides with the evolution of the police uniform. Police officers in large cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago, began wearing uniforms in the mid-1800s, but it wasn’t until the early half of the 1900s that many Rhode Island police departments began to adopt uniforms.  At that time, generally speaking, the only distinguishing feature from one department to the next was the breast badge worn by the officers.  This eventually led to the idea of using cloth insignia to differentiate agencies.  It’s believed that the notion came from the shoulder patches worn on military uniforms to identify which unit or division a soldier belonged.      

     Exactly when the first law enforcement uniform patches were introduced in Rhode Island is unclear, but there’s photographic evidence to support that Smithfield, Warwick, and West Warwick police departments were wearing simple uniform patches as early as the 1930s and 40s, and it’s possible that others were as well.  Many Rhode Island police departments were wearing shoulder patches by the 1960s, and all of them had some type of insignia by the 1970s.  Today every Rhode Island law enforcement agency wears some type of shoulder insignia on their uniforms.

     The earliest patches were made of a heavy felt material with a cheesecloth backing, or in some instances, a white cotton backing, almost like the cotton of a T-shirt.  Some versions were made of a ribbed twill fabric with cheesecloth backing.  Modern patches generally have a wax backing which helps prevent shrinkage and deformation after multiple washings. Patches produced from the 1930s through 1970s generally didn’t have a wax backing.

     One may be surprised to learn that full-time paid police departments as we think of them today are a relatively modern “invention”. The earliest law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island were the county sheriff departments which were established in the 1630s. By the 1700s some of the larger towns had constables who enforced local ordinances and patrolled (sometimes) at night.  The majority of Rhode Island municipalities remained under a constabulary system for well into the 20th century before establishing a permanent police department through city or town decree. 

     Perhaps the oldest police department in the state is the Providence Police, which can trace its origins to 1651 when a small number of constables were appointed by the Town Council under the command of an elected Town Sergeant. These men patrolled in pairs, and generally only at night.

     This system remained in effect until 1775 when the first “night watch” was formally established under town ordinance. The original night watch consisted of four men, but by 1826 had increased to twenty-four.

     In 1831 Providence incorporated as a city and created the position of City Marshall to lead the police constables.

     In 1848, Providence constables were issued badges for the first time, but initially many kept these symbols of authority in their pockets until a general order was issued dictating they be worn on the lapels of the outer coats.  (The constables did not wear uniforms at this time.)   

     The first day patrol was established in 1851, consisting of ten men.

   Two years later the department was increased to forty-six men and five police districts were created.   Each district came under the charge of a sergeant.

   It wasn’t until 1864 that the Providence Police Department as we know it today was formally established under city ordinance. The following year Providence officers began wearing uniforms for the first time.  Its unclear when they began wearing uniform shoulder patches, but its believed to have occurred in the 1960s.     

     The Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy was established in 1969.  Below is the earliest known patch worn by recruits while they attended the academy. 

     Barrington was incorporated on June 16, 1770. 

     In 1970 the Barrington Police Department was staffed by a Chief, a Deputy Chief, five Sergeants, and sixteen Patrolmen.          

     The Town of Bristol was named after Bristol, England, and was incorporated January 27, 1747.   The patch pictured below has been worn since the 1960s, and although it has gone through some color changes over the years, it is still being worn today in blue and gold colors.   

     In 1970 the uniformed department consisted of one Chief, one Deputy Chief, one Captain, two Sergeants, and nineteen Patrolmen.

   

     Burrillville was originally part of the town of Glocester before its incorporation on October 29, 1806. The town was named after James Burrill, Rhode Island’s Attorney General from 1797 to 1814.

 

     Central Falls was originally part of the Town of Lincoln, which until 1871, was part of the Town of Smithfield. The City of Central Falls was incorporated February 21, 1895.

     In 1970, the department was staffed by a Chief, a Deputy Chief, two Captains, two Lieutenants, five Sergeants, and twenty-five Patrolmen.

     The Central Falls patch represented here is known as an “anchor style” – a generic “fill-in-the-top” patch worn by many Rhode Island police departments in the 1960s and early 70s.  Early versions were made of felt; later ones were made of twill.

 

      Charlestown was incorporated on August 22, 1738, and was named in honor of King Charles II of England. 

     In 1970, the Charlestown Police Department consisted of the Chief of Police, two full-time patrolmen, and ten part-time constables.

     Coventry was originally part of Warwick until its incorporation on August 21, 1741, and was named for Coventry, England.   

     Of the patches depicted below, the one with the small anchor was issued first.  It’s made of a felt material and has a cotton cloth backing.  The other two patches with the large anchor are newer, but still date to the 1960s.  The one with the grey background was worn on shirts. This style was discontinued by the department around 1968.

     Cranston was originally part of Providence until its incorporation as a town on June 14, 1754. It was named in honor of Samuel Cranston, the Governor of Rhode Island from 1698 to 1727. Cranston became a city on March 10, 1910, shortly after which the Cranston Police Department was formally established as the first permanent police force under city ordinance, although Cranston had been utilizing police constables since 1754.

     The first permanent force consisted of one Chief of Police and ten Patrolmen, supplemented by part-time constables.

     Cranston’s first uniform patch was made of a heavy felt material.  Those with silver borders were worn by Patrolmen.  Those with gold borders were worn by ranking officers.  The patches were first worn in 1967, and continued in use until 1995.  

     The words “Dum”, “Vigilo”, “Curo” are Latin for “While I watch, I care.”   

     Cranston “emergency police” officers were civilian volunteers originally established under Civil Defense in the early 1950s, and who later patrolled city parks and buildings, however they were unarmed and didn’t have arrest powers.

   

     Cumberland was incorporated on January 27, 1747, and is named for William, the Duke of Cumberland. 

     In 1970 the police department was staffed by one Chief, one Deputy Chief, three Captains, three Sergeants, and twenty Patrolmen. 

     The patch depicts the shape of the town of Cumberland and the year of incorporation.

     The town of East Greenwich was incorporated on October 31, 1677, and was named for Greenwich, England. 

     In 1970 the department was staffed by one Chief, two uniform Lieutenants, one Detective Lieutenant, one Sergeant, and fourteen Patrolmen, and eleven Special Officers.

     The patch depicted below has been worn by the department since the 1960s, and is still in use today.

     East Providence incorporated as a town on March 1, 1862, and as a city in 1958.

     The department’s current uniform patch was worn as early as the late 1950s or early 1960s, but it was originally blue and gold in color.   The current patch is red and black.  The city seal is in the center.

     In 1960, East Providence received the All-America City Award, and for one year officers wore a custom All-America City patch on the right shoulder of their uniforms.  It’s unknown how many of these emblems were produced, and how many were issued to each officer.  The example illustrated below had metal snaps sewn to the back of it indicating that it was transferred from shirt to shirt by the officer who wore it.

     The Town of Exeter is currently the only town in Rhode Island without a police department.  However, the town did once have a police department consisting for a Chief of Police and several part-time officers during the 1960s and into the 1970s.     

     Original examples of the patch worn by members of the Exeter Police Department are rare, and in recent years someone has reproduced them. When compared to an original, it’s easy to tell the difference.  The originals are made of a ribbed twill fabric with a cotton cheesecloth backing, and the lettering is rounded, not flat looking.  

     The Town of Foster was set apart from the Town of Scituate on August 24, 1781, and is said to be named for Theodore Foster, who was a U. S. Senator from Rhode Island.

     In 1970 the department was staffed by a Chief of Police and six part-time patrolmen. 

     The Town of Glocester was incorporated February 20, 1730/31 after being set apart from the (then) town of Providence.

     In 1970 the police department consisted of a Chief of Police and ten part-time officers.  The patch illustrated below was no longer worn by 1970. 

     The Town of Hopkinton was incorporated March 19, 1757. 

     In 1970 the department consisted of a Chief of Police, a Deputy Chief, and several part-time officers.

  

     Jamestown was incorporated on October 30, 1678 and was named in honor of King James II of England.  the town occupies Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay. 

     In 1970 the police department was staffed by a Chief of Police, one Lieutenant, one Sergeant, and four Patrolmen, and several special officers.

     The first patch known to be worn by the Jamestown police had a light blue background and dark blue lettering that read “Jamestown Police, R.I.”.  The second issue patch worn by the department came into existence in the 1960s, and was used into the early 1980s. 

     Johnston incorporated as a town on March 6, 1759, and was named for Rhode Island Attorney General Augustus Johnston, who served from 1758 to 1766.    

     In 1970 the police department consisted of a Chief of Police, one Captain, two Lieutenants, three Sergeants, four Corporals, and 28 Officers.

     Of the two patch examples illustrated below, it’s unknown which came first.  The first has a fully embroidered background and black border, the second has a twill background and a gold border.  

     Johnston’s 3rd Issue uniform patch depicted an eagle.  It was worn until 1983, when it was replaced by an updated version with black thread outlining all of the eagle’s feathers.  Other variations followed, and today the department’s uniform patch depicts a black eagle.       

     The Town of Lincoln was originally part of the Town of Smithfield until it incorporated as its own municipality on March 8, 1871.   It was named in honor of former President Abraham Lincoln. 

     Its possible that the first patch worn by the department was a simple triangle  with the words “Lincoln Police” on it, but this is unconfirmed.  The earliest confirmed uniform patch worn by the department was the town seal pictured below.  At the time it was one of two police patches worn by Rhode Island departments that didn’t include the word “police”  on it. (The other being North Kingstown.)  This patch was worn by regular officers until 1971, and then worn by reserve officers for several years afterward.      

 

     The Town of Little Compton was formally incorporated on January 27, 1747. 

     In 1970 the police department was staffed by a Chief of Police , a Sergeant-Inspector, and several part-time officers.

     The Town of Middletown was originally part of Newport until its incorporation on June 16, 1743.  Its name comes from the fact that it occupies the middle portion of Aquidneck Island.

 

     The Town of Narragansett was incorporated on March 28, 1901.  The name comes from the Narragansett Indian tribe, and the town also borders Narragansett Bay.

     In 1970 the uniformed officers included the Chief of Police, one Deputy Chief, one Captain, one Lieutenant, three Sergeants, and fifteen Patrolmen.  

     The current Narragansett police patch has been worn continuously since the 1960s.  It depicts the famous twin towers,  a famous Rhode Island landmark.

     Newport incorporated as a city on June 1, 1784, but the charter was later repealed.  The city incorporated a second time on May 20, 1853. 

     In 1970 the Newport police consisted of a Chief of Police, one Assistant Chief,  three Captains, eight Lieutenants, thirteen Sergeants, and fifty-nine officers.       

     The department still wears the patch it was wearing in 1970.

      The Town of New Shoreham is located on Block Island three miles off the southern coast of Rhode Island.  The town was admitted to the Rhode Island Colony on May 4, 1664 as Block Island, named for Adrian Block, an early Dutch explorer and seaman.  On November 6, 1672, the name was changed to New Shoreham.    

     In 1970 the island was policed by a Chief of Police who was assisted by several special officers.

     It is unknown which of the following three patches was used first. 

     North Kingstown  was originally part of “Kings Towne”, incorporated on October 28, 1674.  At that time, the town of North Kingstown and South Kingstown were one.  The town divided in February of 1723.

     The original North Kingstown uniform patch depicted the town seal, was made of felt, and did not have the word “police” on it.  Twill versions of this emblem also exist.  It was worn from the 1960s into the early 1980s.  

 

     North Providence was incorporated on June 13, 1765. 

     In 1970 the department consisted of a Chief of Police, two Captains, three Lieutenants, three Sergeants, three Detectives, and 21 Patrolmen, as well as several Special Patrolmen.

 

      The Town of North Smithfield was originally part of the Town of Smithfield until its incorporation on March 8, 1871. 

     The three hammers are representative of the town’s official seal. 

     The City of Pawtucket was incorporated as a town on February 29, 1828, and as a city on March 27, 1885.  The name is of Indian origin.

     In 1970 the police department consisted of 152 officers.

     Depicted on the patch is a view of the bridge which crosses Pawtucket Falls.  The patch is made of heavy felt. Cloth-twill examples are also known to exist.

     The Town of Portsmouth was incorporated on January 12, 1640, and was named for Portsmouth, England.      

     The department wore two colored “anchor styles” in the 1960s.  One gold and the other silver.  Both were discontinued by 1970.

    

    The Town of Richmond was incorporated August 18, 1747.

    In 1970 the police department consisted of a Chief of Police, a Deputy Chief, and several special officers.   

     The patches shown below were worn by the Richmond Police from the 1960s until the mid 1980s.  The black patches were won on jackets, and the light blue patches were worn on shirts.

     The Town of Scituate was incorporated on February 20, 1731.

     In 1970 the police department consisted of the Chief of Police, one Deputy Chief, one Captain, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, one Corporal, eleven Patrolmen, and nine part-time officers.

     The Town of Smithfield was incorporated on February 20, 1730/31 and originally included the present-day municipalities of North Smithfield, Woonsocket south of the Blackstone River, Lincoln, and Central Falls, until its division in 1871.

     In 1970 the police department included a Chief of Police, one Deputy Chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, and twelve Patrolmen.

     The first uniform patch, of which there are no known surviving examples, was round with the words “Smithfield Police” and an anchor in the middle.  The top example illustrated below is believed to be the department’s second issue, created sometime in the 1950s. 

 

     South Kingstown was incorporated on February 26, 1723.

    In 1970 the uniformed police department included a Chief of Police, two Captains, three Lieutenants, four Sergeants, and nineteen Patrolmen.   

    The department’s uniform patch has been worn since the 1960s, but has gone through some minor changes over the years concerning the arrowhead in the center.   In the original version depicted below, it was thought that the arrowhead appeared to be a Christmas tree, so modifications were made over the years to correct this.

     Tiverton was incorporated as a town in Massachusetts in 1694, and was annexed to Rhode Island on January 27, 1747. 

     In 1970 the Tiverton police department consisted of a Chief of Police, one Lieutenant, three Sergeants, and twelve Patrolmen.

     The first issue Tiverton police uniform patch was similar to the second issue one pictured below, except that it did not indicate “R. I.” on it.  

     Warren was originally a town in Massachusetts until it was annexed to Rhode Island in may of 1746.  The original name of the town was Barrington until its division in 1770.  Barrington retained the original name, and the new town was named Warren in honor of Sir Peter  Warren, an Admiral in the British Navy.

     In 1970 the Warren Police Department consisted of a Chief of Police, one Deputy Chief, one Captain, three Sergeants, and twelve Patrolmen.

       Warwick originally included the towns of Coventry and West Warwick.  Coventry separated from Warwick in 1741, and in 1913, West Warwick separated from Warwick. 

     Warwick incorporated as a city on April 21, 1931, and is named for the Earl of Warwick. 

     In 1970 the Warwick police consisted of a Chief, two Commanders, six Captains, seven Lieutenants, sixteen Sergeants, twenty-four Detectives and 89 patrolmen.

 

 

     West Greenwich was originally joined with East Greenwich, and separated to become its own municipality on April 6, 1741. 

     In 1970 the police department consisted of a Chief of Police who was assisted by fourteen volunteer patrolmen and one part-time clerk.

     The Town of Westerly was incorporated on May 14, 1669. 

     In 1970 the uniformed police department consisted of  a Chief of Police, one Captain, one Lieutenant, three Sergeants, and twenty Patrolmen.

     The department’s patch is currently a colorized version of the one it has worn since the 1960s.  The town seal in the center of the patch depicts three red salmon, once found in large numbers in the Pawcatuck River, and the memorial at the top represents monuments around the world made with Westerly granite.

   

      The Town of West Warwick was originally part of Warwick until it incorporated on March 14, 1913, making it the state’s youngest municipality. 

     In 1970 the police department consisted of a Chief of Police, one Captain, one Detective Lieutenant, two uniform Lieutenants, two Sergeants, three Corporals, and twenty-seven Patrolmen.    

     The first issue West Warwick Police uniform patch was oval in shape, with a grey background and blue lettering.  Only one example is known to exist.

     The department’s second issue patch was a grayish-blue triangle with blue lettering which read “West Warwick Police”.  There are no known original examples still in existence today. 

     The department’s third issue was an anchor style which was worn in the 1960s to about 1975. 

 

     The portion n of Woonsocket north of the Blackstone River was originally part of the Town of Cumberland until it was incorporated as its own municipality on January 31, 1867.  The portion of Woonsocket south of the Blackstone once belonged to the Town of Smithfield until it was annexed to Woonsocket in March of 1871.   Woonsocket incorporated as a city on June 13, 1888. 

     The first patch worn by the department was made of heavy felt and depicted the city seal in the center.  A similar patch with “C. D.” added (For Civil Defense) was worn by auxiliary officers.   

 

Auxiliary Police Patch     

     The simple (and generic) auxiliary police patch depicted below is believed to date to WWII, and was worn by members of the Civil Defense Corps.   It is unknown which police department(s) may have used it.  

 

 

      A Final word…

     The patch pictured below, which dates to the 1960s – 1970s,  is fictitious.  While there is a Medway, Massachusetts, there is no municipality in Rhode Island known as “Medway”.