Name/Title
Sussex Police "Custodian" police helmet 2010Entry/Object ID
HC11Description
Re-enforced custodian two panel blue felt covered "Custodian" police helmet, with black metal hat band and chrome plated rose top, fitted with Brunswick star Queen's Crown one piece chrome plated helmet plate, marked "Sussex Police", with a coat of arms centre. Label inside is marked "Custodian Helmet. CE. En 397: 1995 Size 59". There is another label with care instructions and indicating manufacture date of 2010, together with manufacturer's details of "CW Headdress Ltd"Use
For a male sergeant or constable in Sussex Police to wear on foot patrolContext
When Sussex Constabulary was formed in 1968 rose topped helmets were adopted and those in service were of a mixture of both traditional cork helmets and ones made from newer materials. Despite the new police force having been granted a coat of arms, simple helmet badges with just "EIIR" were used and stayed in use after the name "Sussex Police" was adopted in 1974. By the 1980s re-enforced "Custodian" helmets were being introduced and replacing earlier lightweight versions. In 1999 the "EIIR" helmet badge was replaced with one that had the Sussex Police coat of arms featuring the Tower and five Marlets. The Tower symbolises Strength and the Martlets the five police forces that amalgamated in 1968 to create Sussex Constabulary.
Helmets such as this are still used in Sussex Police, although from 2019 they have a silver band instead of a black one as a result of the Sussex/Surrey police joint procurement programme.