Why design a badge for your department's anniversary?

Your department’s anniversary is a milestone to celebrate, and a badge is the most iconic and recognizable part of your officers’ uniforms. In this article, we are going to explore the celebration of heritage and the symbolism of an anniversary badge. Very importantly, we will also inform you about the planning timeline so your department can make the most of your celebration window.

An anniversary symbolizes a moment in time where your department’s past history and the future intersect. By looking at monuments or statues of community heroes and historical events, your department takes stock of where it has been. By highlighting your mission and core values, your department declares where it is headed in terms of service and community engagement. A special anniversary badge becomes a permanent keepsake for both your department and your officers.

Designing an anniversary badge gives your department a reason to understand its “why” - as in, why should we be celebrating this occasion? Why should we mark this occasion with a badge that becomes a part of our history? Your anniversary badge shows that your department is proud of its heritage. Each officer stands on the shoulders of those who have served in the past. From this foundation, an anniversary presents an occasion to feature the professional growth and accomplishments of your department.

Private and public corporations celebrate anniversaries with special graphics as well, but designing a commemorative badge is unique to public safety organizations. A custom badge design focusing on your anniversary dates, iconic monuments, historic buildings, or natural landmarks becomes a talking point for your community and department staff. Include your department’s historian in the creative process to review elements from your departments’ past badges and significant department events. Your historical symbols may become design features on your anniversary badge to highlight community service during this historic time period.

To make the most of the celebration window, your department should start wearing an anniversary badge at the beginning of the celebration year. Our recommendation is to start planning one year ahead of your anniversary in order to give your department the time for a creative design process and to order badges in advance.

The anniversary badge is a unique piece of storytelling and art for your department that could serve as the centerpiece of your anniversary celebration. Throughout this commemorative time period, your department has an opportunity to use the new badge design for department branding as a logo, for vehicle graphics, embroidery, and letterhead.

At Smith & Warren, we invite you to contact us to discuss your department’s anniversary. There are opportunities to create an anniversary badge in both our VisualBadge and BadgeStudio programs. Our team is standing by to turn your ideas into a badge you will be proud to wear.

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