File:LAPD Badge Series 6 13247copyA.JPG

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Badge, also known as the series 6 Centurion Shield, has been the issued department badge of the LAPD for over 50 years with slight modifications along the way. For example, POLICEMAN and POLICE WOMAN were replaced in 1973 by the generic title POLICE OFFICER, the City Hall replica in the middle depending on the company producing it has had slightly different looks, badge collectors and police historians can easily notice the difference. This badge remains the most recognized and copied American police badge. Made famous by Sergeant Joe Friday's badge appearing on screen before and after episodes of Dragnet. The television show Adam-12 also displayed images of the LAPD badges worn by fictional Officers Reed and Malloy. To this day Dragnet and Adam-12 are the only two shows that used authentic LAPD badges. There are many replica badges sold as collectibles and props that use this design, all have errors somewhere in them. Typical errors are the actual oval shape, city hall, letter-number font type and size and detailed designs derived from the ancient Roman soldiers from which the badge gets its name. The city seal is easier to get right due to it being publicly owned, although in recent years LAPD and the City of Los Angeles have fought to secure and exclusively hold the usage rights to their city and police logos and official seals. The above photo is indeed a real LAPD badge that has had a lot of use, thus some of the badge design has been faded, rusted or worn off. The posting of this photograph is specifically for educational value as this badge is a symbol of the overall history of America. This Photograph of mine, to me, represents the LAPD as a symbol of both American law enforcement and political struggles throughout history. This badge belongs to a veteran officer. The worn details and slightly rusted paint to me, tells the story of the past, good times and bad of the world's premier police force. At the end of the day, the LAPD has the finest-looking badge because and is the finest police department in America. For generation after generation, no matter the scars they endure or how worn the badge might look, they pull through and succeed and are extremely proud to be LAPD, which is the point of the photograph being taken. The officer was very happy and proud to show off his badge. The shield represents and embodies strength, willpower, firepower, training, resources and brotherhood. That is what people should take from my photograph, the story of a badge that's seen the best of police work and some not-so-great times but it still survived and continues to inspire those who seek a career in law enforcement.

self-made

May 2007

Skyfox11 (talk) Jeff Costlow

See below.