BADGE COLLECTOR IS NOW ON FACEBOOK !

We recently started a Page on Facebook Groups. The official name, in Face Book Groups, is BADGE COLLECTOR.

The page is new and we are just trying to learn as well as show off our Badge Collection. If you have suggestions please make them. Your help is needed.

The specific address is listed as:

       https://www.facebook.com/groups/1706870299841551

"SPECIAL DEPUTY SHERIFF'S COLLECTION

The picture below shows the 16 "Special's" that I have. I have accumulated them over the last 50 years. I gave them a lesser priority in my badge collection, as you know, I was focused on the "City of Newark". That said, these "Special Deputy Sheriff's Badges" are quite interesting.

New Jersey has 21 Counties so quick math reveals I do not have a "Special" from each county. I have some doubles which impacts the Goal of one from each County. The Bottom line is, I would be interested in purchasing additional "Special Deputies" for the Counties I am missing. Hopefully I can make a set of all 21 counties.                                      

The people who carried these badges were not real members of the Sheriff's Department. They were "Honorary Deputies." In some cases they had certain (special) powers granted or extended to them by the local Sheriff - hence the word and title "Special."

The word Honorary usually translates to "Friend," "Relative," or perhaps "Contributor."  The County Sheriff would distribute these badges, along with an "ID Card," listing the person as an Honorary or Special Deputy. The practice of having this type of Special Deputy (I believe) ended over 40 years ago. Based on that, I estimate that these badges are 40 -60 years of age.

I am going to show these badges individually over the next few months (gives me something to write about). They will appear in the order shown in the above picture. 

***

Contact me if you have a "Special Deputy" for sale or trade:      

jerseychief@gmail.com 

PC NEWS PRINTS FALKLAND ISLANDS STORY

About a year and a half ago The Wife and I took a nice cruise around South America. One of the stops was the Falkland Islands'. Once there Mr Beyer took a minute or so to meet members of this Police Dept, and quickly secured a brief tour of the HQ. When he got home he wrote this article for P C NEWS. The article was published in the Collectors Paper  in the Mar-April 2024 edition.

You can read it IF your eyes are good, or if you have a magnifier, or wish to look for it in the June (23rd) 2023 postings.

Here is a scanned copy of the article:

WANTED !!!

 WANTED!  BY NEW  JERSEY COLLECTOR

Looking for  Badges,  Handcuffs,  Whistles  or  Pictures from

Municipal Police  or  County Probation Departments    with a particular interest in all items from

City of  Newark, New Jersey.

 

Contact:

DENNIS BEYER 

 email: denb22@GMAIL.COM

Collecting 50 Years, and Producer of

"badgecollector.blogspot.com"

A LITTLE POLICE HUMOR

 

Even us collectors got to laugh once in a while.

POCKET GUNS

By:  Dennis Beyer

POCKET GUN

While the focus of my Collection, of nearly 60 years, has been Police Badges, I also have a couple Old Time Firearms in my museum. In this article I will give you a quick peek at them. I am sure you will conclude, "They are not worth very much !"

As Collectors we all recognize "Value" having a few different definitions. Cash Value is easy to comprehend, and used the most when examining the items that we hold near and dear. Sentimental Value is a totally different story, and that is the case with these firearms. 

This first gun is a "British Bull Dog" - 38 cal. The name may ring a bell. It might sound a little famous and perhaps you might think it  has some cash value.

The "Bull Dog" became a very popular solid piece   pocket revolver shortly    after being introduced    by  Phillip  Webley  in    1872.  That  is the Gun  you want if looking for Pocket Cash, and it must have the name "Webley" on it, with a manufacturing location of Birmingham, England.

Unfortunately the gun in my collection is of Sentimental Value. It is American made, by a company that copied Webley's design. The above 5 shot 38 caliber weapon was made by Harrington & Richardson. 

At one point in time this gun belonged to John O'Rouke. He is believed to have been the Chief of Police in Orange, NJ. This has not been established other then by word of mouth. His gun has been handed down over the years. It was last given to me by my Uncle. That's enough to give it "Sentimental Value" for me.

The next gun pictured on    

the right is my father's "retirement gun". I keep it in a  display with his Badges. That makes the whole display "Very Sentimental."

The gun was also made by "H & R Arms, Worcester, Mass."

It is a 5 shot revolver using "Primiere 32 S&W Ctg." This info is stamped into the side of the barrel.

Considering the age, on both of these keepsake guns, the Nickle appearance is pretty good. That means "not excellent." While I won't attempt to fire them, I do enjoy having them in my Collection of Law Enforcement Memorabilia. I look at them every day, and they do help bring back many "Valuable" memories. 

WANTED !

                                 WANTED !  

BY NEW  JERSEY COLLECTOR

Looking for  Badges, Handcuffs, Whistles or Pictures from

Municipal Police or County Probation Departments with

a particular interest in all items from  Newark, NJ.

 

Contact:

DENNIS BEYER 

 email: denb22@GMAIL.COM

Collecting 50 Years, and Producer of

"badgecollector.blogspot.com"

FOR SALE: CAMDEN COUNTY & PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF'S BADGES

THESE TWO BADGES HAVE BEEN SOLD NO LONGER AVAILABLE 

CAMDEN CO "SPECIAL DEPUTY" SHERIFF'S DEPT

2.50"  x  1.50"

HALLMARK: BLACKINGTON

  BELT CLIP                             

PASSAIC COUNTY

DEPUTY SHERIFF

2.25" x  1.25"

These Badges are offered to fellow Collectors for enhancing their Displays at a cost of $70.00 Total. Free postage. Pay Pal ONLY.

Contact me at:   jerseychief@gmail.com     for payment instructions if you wish to make this purchase. 

POLICE MUSEUM IN LONDON REVISITED

 

By Dennis Beyer

I am always Collecting Memories, however this one is a little different. I originally posted it in 2012 following my trip in May (2012) to London to have this experience. I was motivated by the wife’s need to see the U.K.  and the Baltic Capitals.

Prior to arriving I checked a few things out. I quickly learned that the Metro Police and the London City Police are two separate departments. Metro seems to be everywhere, while the London City Police cover a small area of London.  Their jurisdiction is nicknamed the “Square Mile.”

Size is not always important, especially when the subject is History. The City Police go back to 1839. At the time the Metro Police Force was in its’ infancy. While Metro’s jurisdiction grew, the London City Police elected to maintain their own identity. 

Their Headquarters is located at 37 Wood Street.  It is also the home of the London City Police Museum.  It is a small facility. An appointment is required to view the exhibits.

Werner Roper, a former New Jersey Transit Police Chief, accompanied me on this adventure. We brought our wives for protection, and to remind us of the time. The first thing we did was get lost, but the Metro Police were there to help. They pointed out the way, and called ahead so our guide would be expecting us.

  

Our escort was Bob Cottvill . He also served as guardian of those famous Helmets and Badges. He is retired from Her Majesty’s Defense Service. Bob has studied the London City Police for several years. The Gentleman was most happy to see a couple of guys from New Jersey, and even happier to share his knowledge of this great little museum.  He made it huge!

 Bob started our tour by discussing communication equipment. I enjoyed seeing an old Police Public Call Post.  All one had to do was open the bright blue door and pick up the phone. I remembered, as a boy, seeing “Police Call Boxes” mounted on telephone poles in Newark, N.J.  . Ours were smaller –  by a ton. They are also very collectible.

 

From the bright blue phone system Bob showed us an old wood communications tool. He said: “I bet you never saw one of these before.”   My wife said: “Yes I have!  There are two hanging in my house.”  I am sure she was thrilled to show her expertise. I know I was quite proud of her. 

      

The wooden device was a Police Rattle. It was a means of signaling each other while working the street. They were used in the 1800’s. In London they were replaced by Police Whistles.

A short distance from the rattle was, appropriately enough, a nice collection of old whistles. They were in a nice display under glass. My wife had nothing to say about them, but I know she has observed a few on “my” wall back home. At least she wasn’t looking at her watch.

Communications in old London was unique. Click’s and Clacks was the only tune in town until tiny whistles came into existence. Tweets was a major leap forward, then in 1886 Guglielmo Marconi  gave us the wireless radio. A few years later Wi-Fi arrived  on the scene.

The museum has a couple of items that link communications and tragedy. The radio in the museum’s Moorgate Exhibit was used by police in response to the greatest rail transportation tragedy (at the time) in peacetime London.

In terms of physical size this was a small exhibit, yet it signals just how vulnerable we all are. Clicks and Clacks wouldn’t work in this situation, but looking back, thirty-seven years, the data suggests that the modern twentieth century radio also could have worked better. That's history, and we learn from it.

The event took place on the morning of February 28, 1975. A train arriving at Moorgate Station failed to stop. It continued through the station towards a dead end stop. It hit the wall at 40+ mph.

Over forty people were killed. City Police Officer Margret Liles, was trapped for twelve hours in the tunnel.  She was freed only after her foot was amputated. Moorgate Rescue Operations lasted for four days. 

The last man out was the Engineer – Leslie Newson. His failure to stop the train caused the accident. Why this happened was not established.

Since this incident we have built radios with transmission systems that work better underground. On the tracks we have developed a switch that automatically stops runaway trains. Ironically this is called the “Mooregate Switch.” History has taught us well.

A short distance from the Mooregate exhibit was a display featuring a wooden scale model of some old buildings. Our Guide explained that this was a model of the Exchange Buildings where thieves attempted to rob a jewelry store. The “bad guys” were foreign nationals looking for a way to fund their cause. This sounds familiar, but this attempted robbery took place in December of 1910.

The gang led by Jacob Gardstein and Peter Piatkow tunneled from one building to another. The target was the safe in a jewelry store located on Houndsditch Rd. When the sound of their digging was heard the local police were summoned to the scene.  The police surrounded the building, entered it, and attempted to secure it.

Things did not go well.

Three Officers died at the scene of what has been remembered as the Houndsditch Murders.  Dead were:  Sergeant Charles Tucker,  Sergeant Robert Bentley, and  Constable Walter Choate.

The bad guys initially made it out of the area, however Gardstein was wounded. His partners carried him a short distance, and then left him in an alley to die. The others found safety in a nearby apartment; however days later (now Jan 1911) someone gave the police a tip as to their whereabouts.

What happened next has gone down in history as the Siege of Sidney Street. A combined force of City Police and Metro Officers could not get control of the area. The needed assistance and, in particular, better guns. Help came from the “Scots Guard” stationed in London Tower.

Also arriving at the scene was a curious Sir Winston Churchill. He and Police discussed bringing in a cannon to knock the building down. As they talked a fire erupted in the buildings.

Churchill taking charge ended a quick confrontation between Police and Fire Officials by ordering the Fire Department to “Stand Down.” 

The building continued to burn and ultimately ended the siege.

Today “Sidney Street” is under control. A hundred years have passed, and “Yes” my wife finally noticed the time. Enjoy the pictures below.

  The bright blue box is a Police Public Call Post installed in the city By London police.

An early communications device known as a Police Rattle. It was used up to 1886.

A Radio used in the 1975 Moorgate Disaster.

London City Police Officer Margret Liles who trapped for twelve hours in the Moorgate Tube Disaster.

1910 Paper with pictures of Constables: Tucker, Bentley and Choate who were killed in what has become known as the "Houndsditch Murders." They were responding to a robbery attempt of a jewelry store.

Dennis and Lois Beyer (L and Werner and Carolyn Roper (R).

Dennis Beyer with Display of London Badges

   

The last order of business on this visit was for me to have my picture taken in one of those Famous Helmets, visit and London Tower, and thank Bob Cottvill for sharing his memories of the 

“Square Mile Bobbies” and this fabulous museum. 

Dennis Beyer and  Bob Cottvill

SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL DISPLAY

In this post  I am showing off "Safety Patrol Badges" from a display I made last year. I was touched by, and enjoyed, the memories associated with this collection.

On TOP you will see the largest of these old "Safety Patrol Badge".

It was issued by "Trenton" which is the Capital of New Jersey. Embossed on the arm shield is a traditional police badge with the markings of  "Trenton & Police" on the two top panels. Underneath is a "N.J. State Seal" which was not the normal Seal for Trenton Law Enforcement. Most likely this badge was part of a large (State or County) purchase that allowed individual Towns to add their particular identities, and use the common State Seal.

In the MIDDLE is a "Safety Patrol Badge" purchased by the N.J. State Police. It was used in many communities without the specific identity of a Town.  The badge is generic, thus allowing communities to participate in the program with minimal financial obligation.  In the center of this arm badge is the Seal of the N.J. State Police. It is easily recognizable  with its triangle design. Since the State Police paid for these badges,  why not use their own logo.

The last of these "Safety Patrol Badge" is on the BOTTOM.  It is from my home town -  the City of Newark. In looking at the badge stamped into the arm band you will see the same traditional shape police shield as Trenton's. The inside portion of the badge is of note. While it has two panels that read Newark Police, the remainder is unique. The word "Safety" is in the City Police's traditional number box. On the sides of the box  are Pillars holding a perch for the famous Newark Eagle. that designed badge is still in use today, as it was when I wore the safety patrol identification as a young boy in Newark during the late 1950's.

My City established  "The School Safety Patrol" on May 24, 1916. In so doing Newark was the first such Safety Patrol in the United States. The idea spread not only across New Jersey, but the entire U.S.A.

In order to give these old badges proper display exposure I have placed them on an old nightstick. It belonged to deceased Newark Police Officer Walter Weck. I am not sure I have the correct spelling of his name, but I recall he was a good friend of my father - Herman W Beyer. I estimate the night stick, left to my Dad, to be 75 years old. Officer Weck carved his initials on this stick thus making sure that he too, is part of those  Memories that I still enjoy collecting. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2024 HAS ARRIVED

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2024

Another year behind us, and another ahead. I wish everyone a good year, and will do my best to keep this blog alive.

I will also be celebrating my 25th year of retirement. That is a milestone I never thought I would see. Well damn I now thinking of the next 25 years.