Early Badges & Cap Pieces
Click on image to enlarge
from the collection of
A. Thompson
from the collection of
A. Thompson
Very small
badge. 15/8" x
11/8"
In February 1950 an ordinance
was passed providing badges and
cap-pieces for the
"Sheriff's Emergency Reserve".
Duties pertained to local disaster
control and assisting the Sheriff's
Department in handling local
functions of civic benefit in the
unincorporated areas which were
served by the Sheriff's Stations.
They were called out on fires,
floods, earthquakes and rescue
work. Their duties were
restricted compared to the
regular reserve deputies.
The Emergency Reserves were
known in the Department as the
"tan" reserves, by the uniform they
wore. They merged into the "green"
or regular reserves in July, 1961.
First regularly issued cap piece for
sworn personnel. Issued approx.
1933. Worn on the Forest Green
8-point visor cap. (see pictures
elsewhere on this site)
Arising out of the 1933
earthquake disaster and the St.
Francis Dam disaster five years
earlier, Sheriff Biscailuz decided
officers in uniform were much
more effective in controlling
crowds, handling traffic, and
performing similar duties.
He ordered all personnel to
provide themselves with
regulation uniforms. This order
went into effect on July 1, 1933, at
which time the Los Angeles
Sheriff's Department became the
first uniformed sheriff's office in
the nation.
Very small
badge. 13/4" x
11/8"
From the collection
of M. Belo
Founded in 1926, Sheriff
Traeger bestowed "Deputy
Air Sheriff's" status on
five volunteer pilots,
forming the first Aero
Squadron in the nation.
In 1933, the Sheriff's Aero
Squadron was officially
authorized by the Board of
Supervisors. It had grown to
twenty-five planes and one
blimp.
Around 1939 Sheriff Biscailuz developed the Sheriff's Boys Band. This
group of juvenile musicians had been organized and trained by Colonel
Vesey Walker, an experienced and veteran conductor.
Under the sponsorship of the Sheriff's Dept. they appeared in various
cities, proudly representing the finest Sheriff's Dept. in the entire country.
Shoulder patch and Boys Band badge on left from the collection of Andy
Thompson
Only picture known to me to show the
Boy's Band badge and shoulder patch.