Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police
Property Division Uniforms and Equipment
Property Division, often the unit forgotten about. However historically and operationally a very important unit. This page will hopefully remind you of the importance of property division. On a daily basis from day one to their retirement property is a part of the system. Property is why controls much of what the public see’s on a daily basis. Over the years the equipment Property issues has gone into history books, been placed into the Smithsonian museum and posted in homes all around the world.
Head Gear
Female Uniforms
Motorcycle Uniforms
Coats
Duty Belts
Jump Suits
Hand Restraints
Pins
BUCKLES
BATONS
CADETS
Cadet program began in 1965.
Larry Wilkins was one of cadets in the 1965 class.
He later joined Fairfax County P D & the Loudon County Sheriff dept. He also informed me that there was a matching hat badge that went with the breast cadet badge. This hat badge was 1/2 the size of the breast badge.
1st phase of the program 1965 -1980 program ended.
1965 – 1974 cadets began wearing the plastic cadet badge
Information received from Steve Platt, he was in class of 1974
1974 cadets attire:
Orange/black cadet patch worn on left shirt pocket instead of the plastic cadet badge, and also had the regulation MPDC patch worn on left arm sleeve orange/black cadet patch on blouse coat left chest area and also had the regulation MPDC patch on left arm sleeve regulation police hat with metal cadet badge. words “cadet” stamped in lower panel instead of officers assigned number.
In 1974 Steve Platt approached Sgt. George Wilson with the idea of making and designing a cadet badge to replace the plastic cadet badges from the past. Sgt. Wilson took idea to current chief for approval and got okay with restrictions. The badges were to be purchased and paid by each cadet, one badge per cadet. Each cadet had to be contacted for the order to be placed with a minimum of 25 badges. Only 35 cadets out of 80 bought the cadet badge. After getting the design approved by the department and Chief another restriction was placed on them. They could only be used as wallet badges per the Chief. He was afraid that a cadet would use it to impersonate a regular officer.
Mid 1980’s new Cadet program restarted up.
Today cadets wear a shirt badge similar to the regular officers. Their badge resembles same badge worn by regular officers. In the same panel where the numbers are stamped for regular officer its stamped “cadet”. New cadet wear a M.P.D.C. shoulder patch on the left arm sleeve they wear a cadet badge on their breast pocket left side blouse coat will have a M.P.D.C. shoulder patch on left arm sleeve regulation police hat with cadet badge with name “cadet” today they wear the same badge as regular officer w/o numbers, just word cadet stamped in badge.
All this information was obtained from officer that were cadets during the years specified and provided to me by Jim Blikensdorf. If anyone would like to provide additional information please feel free to e-mail or snail mail me additional information.
1940's Washington D.C.'s Clothing and Equipment aka Property Division
