BADGES
Badges have been part of the equipment of law enforcement officers for hundreds of years. They and originated in ancient times when the armored knights wore a insignia to announce their official status and allegiances.
No one knows exactly how the badge got its start in Texas and little is known of the type of badge that was first carved from Mexican silver dollars by Rangers who rode across the southern and western parts of Texas, fighting Indians and Mexicans.
The name Rangers was applied to the group selected in 1823 for their chore of "riding the range" of "ranging about the country" fighting Indians. The first Rangers were successful in their mission of Indian fighting and were officially adopted as the law enforcement body for the people of Texas in 1835. But the Rangers were not to have official badges until 1935.
The circle-star badge is believed to be related to the adoption of the state seal. A letter written by Charles B. Stewart in 1835, now in the Texas State Archives, states that he used a pearl button in the shape of a five-pointed star to make an impression in wax as the first state seal. This was during the convention of Texans who met to proclaim their independence from Mexico. They also sent three men, Sam Houston, John Cameron and John Forbes to parlay, with the Indians. The impromptu-wax seal created by Stewart, who served as secretary of the convention, was on their commissions.
As Stewart stated it in his letter of 1835, the star is "A fitting emblem of a new star arisen-in the galaxy of states (nations)." Thus, marked the beginning of a five-pointed star officially accepted in the flag of the "Lone Star State," and the first state law enforcement badge.
When the Frontier Battalion and Special Force were formed in 1874, it was difficult for Texas Rangers to establish their authority. The State of Texas Adjutant General's Office began issuing Warrants of Authority -- impressive paper documents kept folded in their pockets -- to officers but not to enlisted men.
This practice continued, in one form or another, until 1935 when badges and credentials were specified for all Texas Rangers. The first Texas Ranger badges were made for individual Rangers from Mexican coins at their request. Some were probably made by jewelers, others may have been made by gunsmiths or metalworkers. The legend of Rangers cutting them out of coins around campfires is unlikely.
These first badges were used as a means of identifying Rangers in the midst of feuds and disputes that might involve several law enforcement agencies, or where hired guns were introduced. Photographs taken in the 1870s through the 1920s show that there was a great variety of badges and that comparatively few Rangers wore badges.
The "shield" badge was carried by "Special" Railroad Ranger Milton Poole in the 1920s. He had similar authority to regular Texas Rangers, but was paid by the railroad instead of the state. Shield badges were rarely worn by Rangers and are rare. The word "State" served to establish a wide jurisdiction
The badge worn by Ranger D.E. Haines during Prohibition, a small circle-star or wagon wheel badge with T-E-X-A-S spelled out in the center, is often copied today. The word "Texas" served to establish statewide jurisdiction the same way "State" did on the above badge.
The badge "stock" badge design was made famous by Ranger Marvin "Red" Burton and was believed to be sold to law enforcement agents through catalogs.
Shortly after the Texas Rangers were merged with the Department of Public Safety, a new badge design was issued by the state. Roughly oval-shaped, it contained the legend "Dept. of Public Safety", the letters T-E-X-A-S and a star with the rank in the center. Captains were issued gold badges, lower ranks received silver.
1957 the Texas Rangers were issued blue badges that proved to be very unpopular, and were called the "bottle cap" badges."
About the first of July, 1957, members of the Texas Department of Public Safety donned new badges, marking another milestone in the 134-year--old history of state law enforcement in Texas.
The change to the new badge presents a streamlined version of the very first in badges for state lawmen who find their beginning in the "Texas Rangers in the year 1823 when Stephen F. Austin appointed 10 "Rangers" to protect settlers from Indians.
The new badge of the Texas DPS, placed into service around July 1 (figure 1), is a modern version of the old Ranger badge with a five-pointed star surrounded with a royal blue background and silver or gold letters that spell out TEXAS. The lettering on the outer circle is in royal blue and the background is gold or silver, depending upon the wearer's rank.
Colonel Homer Garrison, Jr., Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Chief of the Texas Rangers, announced in October, .1962, that the Texas Rangers are going back to the tradition steeped Mexican silver badge worn by their predecessors during frontier days.
Garrison said the new official Ranger badge, issued to each of the 62 members of the Force, is a replica of the historic original badge which old-time Rangers carved out of a Mexican five peso silver dollar when Texas became a State and their duties changed from military to law enforcement.
The best information available indicates that the five-pointed star on the badge symbolized the "Lone Star" of Texas. The points are supported by an engraved wheel, which is termed the "wagon-wheel" badge.
Other traditional badge types - outside of strictly law enforcement - are widely varied and many exceptional replicas can be found today.
They include:
Pinkerton Detective Agency
Alan Pinkerton established his private detective agency in 1850. The company logo was an open eye and the motto. "We Never Sleep". These agents tracked outlaws all over the country from Jesse James to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. ( the wild bunch).
Pony Express Messenger
From April 1860 to October 1861, Pony Express riders carried the mail over a hazardous 1600 mile route in only 10 days. Johnny Fry, John Burnett, Richard Egan, Charlie Cliff and William Cody, aka "Buffalo Bill" all helped carry mail.
Brothel Inspector Kansas City
This badge is neither novelty, nor "Joke". Brothel Inspector was an official office. No foolin! This had to be the cushiest job in world. Their adventures were decidedly more in the category of " indoor sport".
Indian Police
U.S. Indian Police: Every reservation had its own Indian police force which was empowered by the federal government. This type of badge was worn by Red Tomahawk, Police Sergeant, the man who killed Sitting Bull in 1890.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Also known as the Department of the Interior until 1859, when it was changed to Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tom Jeffords rode into the Dragoon Mountains by himself in an effort to make peace with the Cochie and his Apache Renegades.
Yuma Territorial Prison
The cells of Arizona's Yuma Prison were dug out below ground level, and had no roofs to shelter prisoners from the sweltering sun of the Arizona Desert. Not only were these jailbirds exposed to extreme heat up to 115 degrees, they also had to face dangerous venemous enemies such as Black Widows, Rattlesnakes, Scorpions, Centipedes and even Gila Monsters! What a picture of Hell on Earth! One time, a man put his boots on without looking inside, and was bitten by a desert centipede. His leg went gangrenous and had to be amputated.
Railway Express Special Agent
A merger of American Express, Wells Fargo, Adams and Southern Express resulted in the American Railway Express Company. After 1929, it became the Railway Express Agency. The badge was worn by Special Agents, whose job was to ensure the safe delivery of all goods.
Special Agent - Sante Fe Railroad
By 1860 there were 30,626 miles of railroad in the United States -- more than three times the mileage than existed just 10 years before. Theft was rampant and the losses in dollars of freight, parcels and luggage were overwhelming to the railroad companies. Railway companies, left to protect themselves, contracted railroad policemen. Two of the most famous Special Agents hired to protect the railroads were Bat Masterson and Allen Pinkerton.
Western Atlantic R.R. Agent
Confederate States of America
This southern railroad became a major transport for the Confederate states during the war between the North and South. It provided the only practical link for getting troops and supplies from the East and West.
Also were the slightly lower level, but no less important Union Pacific Special Agent and Santa Fe Railroad Guard badges.
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