Name/Title
Sussex Constabulary/Sussex Police lapel badges c1969 -1980Entry/Object ID
2331Description
Collection of 10 Sussex Constabulary/Sussex Police chrome plated lapel badges, one of which is still attached to a piece of uniform, each with the Sussex Police coat of arms, a tower symbol surrounded by 5 Martlet birds. Each has two threaded lugs for attaching to a uniform tunic.Use
For attaching in pairs to the lapels of a police tunicContext
When police constables and sergeants wore closed necked tunics, it was common practice for them to have a force crest as well as a number on the collar. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, police forces adopted open necked tunics and in many cases where badges had previously been worn on the collar, they were now worn on the lapels.
In May 1969, the year after Sussex Constabulary was formed, the Chairman of the Police Authority, the Duke of Norfolk in his capacity as Earl Marshal of the UK, granted a coat of arms to the new Sussex Police Authority and Sussex Constabulary. This consists of a tower representing the strength of the police surrounded by 5 Martlets, birds traditionally associated with the arms of both West and East Sussex. In this case the 5 Martlets were to represent the 5 police forces that were amalgamated to form Sussex Constabulary. This coat of arms was then worn on officers' uniforms as lapel badges.
This coat of arms was widely used by both Sussex Constabulary and Sussex Police, but it did not feature on the helmet or cap badges used by either force. Instead it was only used on tunic lapel badges. It was only in 1995 that Sussex Police adopted new helmet and cap badges incorporating the Tower and Martlets coat of arms.
Tunics are still used in Sussex Police for some ceremonial occasions and still have lapel badges such as these. These are an older version as they have a screw threaded lug. The more recent versions have eyelets and a brass split pin.