Durham Police Badges- A Quick History

Police badges are pretty collectible. And the older they are, the more folks want them. Durham has worn several different badges throughout the years, just like other departments. And like other departments the styles vary widely from the original piece of tin or cooper to the new lacquered badges. Values range for Durham police badges, from $200 to about $40. Across the net values for different badges range from thousands of dollars (for gold inlaid) to around $40. There are many badges worth even more, and eBay is full of them. Many departments used generic badges made by just a few different companies, and often the only differences are wording and state seals. A word of warning here: those badges marked with a fox stamp can be fakes. While Fox was a real badge company, there are many brass old west badges floating around which are reproductions. They were made by International Engineering in Wilmington California from the 70s through the 90s for the collector market.

To my knowledge no one has ever reproduced or has plans to reproduce Durham Police badges. There are, however, reproductions of the old "tobacco leaf" patch. Also, be cautious of gun show folks selling Durham Police stuff. Especially the uniform shirts are not always correct and are made up uniforms using old stock shirts and possible repro patches with incorrect period badges.

Enjoy the post below. The only badges missing are the supervisor badges from the teens through 1970 and the Public Safety badge which looks exactly like the current police badge.



This badge is one of the first (if not the very first) badge worn by Durham Police. It is typical of badges worn during the time and was mfg by CD Reese of 57 Warren St, NY, NY. Reese was a prolific badge manufacturer, and made different social and police related pins and badges. I can't find much out about the company and have no idea when it shut down.




The photo above, courtesy www.durhampolice.com, shows the Reese badge being worn. There was a supervisor badge worn during the period, which is totally different, which I have no pictures of. There were few in existence, as Durham was still a fairly small force.



Sometime around 1930, Durham went to this police badge. They are not marked on the back, although there is a patent stamp on it. It may be one of many manufactured by H. Buchlein of Newark NJ. To the best of my knowledge Buchlein was purchased by Smith & Warren, a very large manufacturing company. Buchlein was an old company (mid 1800's), and was moved upon purchase to Smith & Warren's facility in White Plains, NY. This particular style of badge was pretty popular across the nation during that time, there are numerous examples still floating around the internet for sale. This badge style was worn until 1970, when the police and fire departments were merged in one big experiment to form Durham Public Safety.



This badge above is an example of a hat badge from that period. Note the wear on the pin itself. Unlike today, officers once almost always wore their uniform caps when outdoors, and that was a good amount, considering many still walked a beat.



And the ultra rare "reserves" badge. Police reserves still exist in the department, and assist with events, such as parades.



In 1970 Durham became a public safety city. Note that the badge didn't change much.If you check the Durham Police website you'll see that they state that this badge was in service until 1985. It was not. This badge was changed somewhere close to 1980, and the badge design was identical to the current badge, but said "Public Safety" on it instead of "Police".



The badge above is a public safety supervisor badge. Note the gold tone of the badge of the blue enamel inlay, as opposed to the silver tone badge and black inlay. Durham continues to use gold tone badges and hat badges for the rank of Sgt and above. Officers and Cpls are still nickel (or silver tone).



The corresponding hat badge for the first design of the public safety badges. Note that deep royal blue enamel on the badge. It is just as bright in person. Badges for the rank of lieutenant and above had the same blue pattern, but had the actual rank inscribed.



As stated, around 1980 or so (I need to confirm an exact date, it is work in progress) Durham went to this larger badge style. It is twice the size of the older style badges, and it much more visually striking. In 1985 the police and fire departments were separated again, and Durham went back to having a regular police badge. Officer badges are, as stated above, two tone, while ranks above Sgt wear a badge that it fully gold toned. Note the abandoning of the NC seal and the integration of the tobacco leaf design, which was formerly worn on the patch until the public safety merger (patches are a whole other post). It is also the City of Durham's seal. The new badges are solid backed badges (as opposed to the hollow back worn since the turn of the century). They are currently made by the Entenmann- Rovin Co (http://www.entenmann-rovin.com) of Los Angeles, CA.



A current hat badge. Note again the tobacco leaf seal.





Finally we come to the only specialty badge (to my knowledge) produced by the Durham Police Department. Known as the "Millennium Badge", it features a color splash of red, white and blue. It was worn only for year, in celebration of the millennium. They were available by private purchase, and many have the unit numbers of the owners embossed on them (for example "Motor-5" or "TACT-1". (Photo from www.durhampolice.com). Unlike the current badges, it has a hollow back, and has a bit less curve than the current badge. The bottom pic shows a Sgt badge.

Shameless plug time!

I won't even get into the world of autograph collecting. Don't have time today. BUT, I had an old TV circular autographed by Martin Milner and Kent McCord that I wanted to protect (ok, from the TV show Adam-12- look it up for those of you who don't appreciate good TV).

So I took it to the framing experts here in Durham- Lewis and Tiffany up at Bull City Art and Framing, downtown in Brightleaf Square. Technically speaking,- they know their shit. This is not your Michaels summer help run frame shop. This is where you take things you want done right. In fact, while I was in there Lewis was framing up a great piece of work which included Rocky Marciano's boxing glove, complete with pictures and everything.

As for my piece, he floated it inside the frame so that I could easily just remove it from the frame if I ever so desired, with no damage to the piece. I chose conservation glass, but they can use everything from regular old glass to museum quality preservation glass. And when I chose my frame, Tiffany took a picture of the piece and was able to show me the completed work right there on a big screen TV, so I'd know what it wold look like (other framers just show you a corner).

So there's my shameless pug (oops, meant plug, a shameless pug is a small dog that humps your leg). Maybe not so much a plug as a recommendation if you want a quality job done. Find their information in the links.

Busy busy busy!

Saturday turned into an all day event! Sent the day at the Preservation Durham Old Home Tour, which, contrary to the title, is not a nursing home tour, but a tour of historic houses. Some nice places, one of which was for sale. I will say that it is nice to see such a large turnout of folks willing to take a glimpse into Durham's history. I will also note that it would be nice to see some 30 years and unders attend or come to these events- enjoying history doesn't mean you have to be historical yourself.

Milk Man!

Remember the days when milk was delivered by the milk man (along with other things,don't worry, I'm sure the guy you call "dad" is your biological father)? I don't either. Milk was delivered to my house by one of my parents, who got it from the grocery store.

But, apparently this was common back then. So I managed to scrounge up a spattering of milk delivery related items.

First up, some bottles. Top is a smaller half pint  bottle, typically used for cream above). The next bottle is the more common milk bottle, think it's a quart (below).

Next up is the insulated aluminum box that the milk was delivered to. It sat on the porch, right beside your unemployed uncle most days. This one has had a paint job. Apparently some were, and some weren't. And there were two or three sizes, this is a smaller one but bigger ones could hold several quart bottles or more. Did you have to rent them from the company or did they just drop one off when you started ordering?

Finally, probably the rarest of the milk items I possess. A milk truck license tag from 1929 (below). Everyone needs one of these hanging over the mantle. If I had a period delivery vehicle for it don't think I wouldn't get the DMV to register this tag, and don't think I wouldn't be driving it in the Bahama Christmas parade.

If for whatever reason you really like these kinds of things, know that milk bottles and especially caps and the such are very collectible. Check out one of the biggest collectors organizations: http://milkbottlecollectors.com/.

For more info on Durham Dairy Products, try:  http://endangereddurham.blogspot.com/2008/03/durham-dairy-products.html

Also know that if you are after area correct stuff, try to find some Durham Dairy, Long Meadow Farms (I think it was Long Meadow Dairy), and Lakewood Dairy stuff. Some are relatively easy to find, and some are not. There are several more tat I know of, including older City Dairy bottles, and Pansy/ JS Latta bottles.  

Well, you thought your DMV photo was bad...

Many moons ago Durham had some wild streets (ok, feel free to stop laughing whenever). So, I thought I’d scan this old fingerprint card that the PD threw away. This gentleman, lets say it was “Bob” (for identity theft reasons I can’t ID him, even if this guy isn’t still alive his name and fingerprints are on the back, which is enough to help set up a fake identity), apparently tied one on big time. And notice the date- Happy Halloween! Too much rum in the ole’ Halloween punch? I think the best part of this thing is that he LOOKS drunk (if you don’t know how drunk people look, print this out and carry it as a reference).

I have no idea if that address even exists anymore if it the house is still standing. But they say the ghost of the old white drunk guy still walks the street on All Hallow’s Eve….

Blast from the past- random Durham picture of the week

Well, this is a family pic, taken in March of 1952. I'll quote directly form the old man himself below. I think what strikes me as the most humorous about this pic is that it's supposed to be Durham Cooperative Nursery School. Check out the barbed wire fence- didn't look so cooperative to me. Of course, kids weren't so fat like they are today and in better shape (according to the popular media anyway), so they could have scaled the fence and voila! they're over the wall and free to wreak havoc on the population. There were probably some knock out drops in those lollipops I bet! A little forced "cooperation" at the "cooperative" school.

"This is a picture taken March, 1952, when a Police Officer came to talk with our kindergarden class.  It was called at the time the Durham Cooperative Nursery School, and was located on Memorial St. behind the Duke Memorial Methodist Church across the street from the Police Dept. on Chapel Hill.  In the background is the building that housed Durham Dairy Processing Plant, and the retail ice cream shop of theirs.  The Police Officer is Eric Haithcock, who retired from the department as a Lt. in the Detective Bureau.  I knew him in the late '60's and haven't seen him since he retired.  He was a real character.  Notice also in the background the old car with the spare tire on the running board/fender. I am in front of Haithcock and turned around as the picture was taken.  The tall building in the right background is the tobacco company across the railroad tracks."

Capital airlines?

Again, great postcard I found rummaging around. Nice color photo of five points here in Durham, as well as a very small RDU airport. Check out the "Capital Airlines" plane shown in the scan. I know absolutely nothing about this airline or what happened to it, I would love to know more.

Added note, 23:11, 3/2/09: Well, it turns out my insufficient searching was pointed out to me. Apparently, Capital Airlines was a PA based carrier that went out of business in 1961 when it was merged into United Airlines.

Check out this enormous website : http://www.baesel.net/cap1.htm

Be sure to check out the posters section, the ones on the bottom row- good luck outting those up around the airport these days!