7 Essential Features of County Sheriff Dept Patches

When you talk about law enforcement symbols, especially county sheriff dept patches, the star and the shied, and the yellow and gold hues come to mind. But do you know what these mean—and what other features make up a sheriff patch?

USA sheriff patches are not just symbols to put on a uniform. There’s pride and responsibility involved in wearing a sheriff patch. You can buy or custom-order these patches as a civilian too to show your support for the brave men and women who keep your county safe. But it’s always good to learn more about any symbol you carry, don’t you agree?

The star symbol on USA sheriff patches has a rich history, associated with having magical qualities in ancient times. Subsequently, anyone who wore that symbol was seen as someone who could ward off threats and protest others. Of course, the star was also associated with having power that could be deemed troublesome—but that's another story.

Even after the prevalence of Christianity, the star maintained significance, as a sign of power. Various colonies used to delegate the star symbol to anyone who had authority, and was in charge of maintaining justice. Hence the reason the star became the sign of law enforcement when the United States emerged.

Of course, only departments who could afford the cost of making them have them on uniforms, given the absence of custom patches technology that we have today. Since communities were smaller, where ‘everybody knew everybody’, the need for the star symbol for sheriffs wasn’t as widespread back then as well. The law enforcement officers in western states were more on the trend of carrying the star, crafting these out of tin cans and other types of metal easily molded.

The number of points on the stars of USA sheriff patches would vary; there was no specific reason for choosing the type of star, except the preference of departments and states. Today, some departments use five-point stars, while sheriff departments in most states give preference to six-point stars. The seven-point star is also quite popular in many Western states.

The shield—as a standalone or encircling the star—is a popular addition in sheriff patches in the east. However, given that the shield is usually common in city law enforcement uniforms, it’s an uncommon occurrence elsewhere.

Much like any other type of patch associated with a public service organization, whether we are talking about police, military, or even firefighters, there's significance in the tiniest details. The design and lettering features of county sheriff dept patches that shine are:

The star itself is the base of the patch, and one of the mutual features of county sheriff dept patches throughout the U.S. Usually, this star is five, six, or seven-pointed. If you're designing a patch as a means of pride and support for a county sheriff department, or as a part of a uniform meant for enactment, it's necessary that you look up the design of the original patch.

It’s no surprise that the shield symbol is synonymous with law enforcement. However, as mentioned before, the shield is less common as a symbol in USA sheriff patches, as county departments are loyal to using the age-old tradition of the star as their sign. That said, you will find the shield in some county patches, such as the Oakland Sheriff County dispatch badge, usually worn on the sleeve of the uniform.

One of the common features of county sheriff dept patches is the classic gold color. The patch can be completely gold, though it is more common for the outer sections to be in that shiny hue, while the rest features colors relevant to the department and county. The gold is meant to reflect the gold of the metal used to create original county sheriff badges.

The patch clearly states where the wearer stands in the hierarchy of a county department. Out of all the lettering, the topmost one, contained within an embossed circling design and present above the department symbol, is the rank of the wearer, i.e. Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff, etc.

The same circle that has the rank stated above has the county name below, along with the word ‘County’ or ‘County Department’. It’s another common feature in all county sheriff dept patches. The county name is meant for association, as well as pride and responsibility.

Next in county sheriff dept patches, below the rank, is the department symbol. Staying true to the national bird, the national symbol of America, many sheriff county departments have the bald eagle as their symbol. However, some patches also feature the bear, such as the badge of the sheriff of Los Angeles County.

Any law enforcement agency in the U.S. has limited edition badges, usually meant to be gifted and kept as a memento. For example, many sheriff county departments have customized patches for anniversaries, meant to be worn during special occasions. These kinds of patch designs are also favored in collectible patches, and you can order your very own custom-made patches to show your support.

However, it is important to acknowledge that sheriff badges hold more significance than just being decorative items. It is important that you understand the symbolism behind them, especially if you are a collector of patches products. By studying the evolution of sheriff badges over different time periods, you pay homage to the rich history associated with these badges!

When it comes to the expertise of creating bold and durable custom sheriff patches—we’re the experts you can trust. At ThePatchio, we every detail in a custom patched order, every step of the way. We take pride in crafting patches for service organizations throughout the U.S., choosing superior quality materials, using top-of-the-line equipment, and perfecting each patch before the order is sent out.

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