Name/Title
Sussex Police male chief superintendent's tunic c1977 - 1980Entry/Object ID
472Description
Black wool superintendent's tunic with open collar, four large buttons to the front, two breast pockets and two hip pockets, all pockets having small buttons, and a fixed wool belt with a chrome plated two prong buckle. There are two small button fastened epaulettes, each having a chrome plated Queen's crown surmounted by a crown plated bath star, and each lapel has a chrome plated Sussex Constabulary/Sussex Police coat of arms shield badge. On each cuff are two additional small buttons. All buttons are chrome plated and marked "Sussex Police" with a Queen's chrome and stamped at the rear "Grantham". Over the left breast pocket are medal ribbons for the Queen's Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal and the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Each arm has a felt badge attached, embroidered with three thin silver/white chevron sergeant's stripes. There is a collar label marked "Tailored by Grantham in England"Use
For use by a Sussex Police male chief superintendentContext
This tunic was issued to Chief Superintendent Norman Cooper, who had been a chief Inspector in Brighton Borough Police and went onto serve in Sussex Constabulary and Sussex Police. The museum also has the matching uniform trousers for this tunic (472.1) and Chief Supt. Cooper's cap. It would have been worn with a black tie, along with a white shirt.
This style of open necked tunic with a belt is very similar to that adopted for male sergeants and constables by Sussex Constabulary on formation in 1968 and was used within the re-named Sussex Police until the mid to late 1980s, when it was replaced with a simpler style of tunic without a belt. However apart from the two extra buttons on the cuffs, this tunic also has press stud fastenings to each breast pocket, as well as external hip pockets, none of which are normally found on contemporary constable's and sergeant's tunics. Also the long extra pocket normally found inside the left breast pocket is absent. These features suggest that at the time these tunics were in use, a more refined version such as this, was used for more senior officers.
The "Sussex Police" marked buttons on this particular example date it from 1974 onwards, when the force changed its name from Sussex Constabulary to Sussex Police. It is clearly identified by the crown and bath star epaulette insignia as having been issued to a chief superintendent. At this time a crown was used to identify an ordinary superintendent.
The medal ribbons are for the Queens' Police Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal and the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which was first instituted in 1951.The Silver Jubilee Medal indicates that this tunic was in use after 1977 when the medal was awarded. To qualify for the Long Service medal an officer had to be currently serving, have completed 22 years and be of very good conduct. In 2010 the period of service was reduced to 20 years, in order to bring the police service in line with long service awards issued to the fire and ambulance, services. So at the time Chief Supt. Cooper was wearing this tunic he had completed at least 22 years service.