Full Version: Retired Badge Protocol
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#1]
1 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Hi all - I have a question about what the proper thing is to do with a retired police badge.
We were told by one of our police dept. clients many years ago that it was policy & procedure for safety issues to remove the pin so no one could use the badge again.
Since we remove the pin in order to attach the domed badges to plaques, this has never been an issue that really mattered one way or another. We figured if someone broke in to a retired officers home and stole the badge and wanted to use it, they would figure out a way.
We never knew if it was official - actually a law or written policy.
We have a probation officer that is retiring soon after 30 years on the job and he wants to keep his badge to give to his nephew and wants to keep the pin on the badge. His department head is giving him a hard time - the dept head actually told him we told him it was a law that the pin had to be removed (we did not tell him this).
I told this probation officer and dept head that I would check in to seeing if it is a law anywhere. I am not planning on getting in the middle of their issues - just finding the facts.
So far, the local police departments that we work for tell us that it is just prudent policy and a good practice to remove the pin when the badge is retired. They are not aware of an actual law regarding the pin removal.
Does anyone know if there is an actual law governing this issue, and if so, what does the law say? Or what is the practice of other engravers in regards to pin removal. We just always remove the pin because it is easier for us to get a better bond between the badge & plaque. It hasn't ever been a big concern on the safety issue - like I mentioned, a creative crook could work around the no pin issue. So far, I haven't been able to find any written policy or law.
Anyone have any feedback, knowledge or opinion on this subject? The probation officer is a long time client also, and so is his dept head, so anything I find out is for informational use for all of us.
Thanks,
Cindy Murdoch, CRS
EDITED: 1 Mar 2007 by HARVEY-ONLY
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
1 Mar 2007
To: Cindy (CINDYM) [#1] 1 Mar 2007
No legal knowledge here; just an opinion.
In my past life as a trophy shop employee, we did quite a few Fire Dept. plaques (w/mounted badges) for retirees.
Like you, we removed the pins for our own ease of applying the badges to a plaque. In all those years, we were never told of a "law" mandating that pins be removed.
From: Cathy (METIME417) [#3]
1 Mar 2007
To: ALL
I don't know the law, but in my experience I've done both. The state's attorney has me do plaques with the badge on it, I route out the wood and attached the badge with glue/without taking the pin back off.
I did a huge shadow box for a 50 year firefighter and they gave me a bunch of old badges/pins, etc. I asked the wife if it was okay to take the pins off the back and she said "Do whatever you have to do". About a week after the presentation she called to say, "I can't believe you took the pins off, I wanted to be able to give them to my grandchildren". To say the least - if I don't have to take a pin back off, I will never do it again.
Cathy