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Several months ago, I helped design a badge for the Banning Police Department’s Honor Guard. The design is loosely based on the regular officer’s badge, and was originally to have the rays in the center be free-floating so that the uniform would been seen through the badge. I guess the see-through feature was a bit too much for the manufacturer to handle, so the area has been filled in with a flat, black enamel.

The badges returned from the manufacturer yesterday, and from what I’ve been told, they look awesome. I’ve also been told that as far as anybody knows, this is the first instance in which any police department in California has custom-designed a badge for their honor guard. Most departments either use a pre-designed badge or simply use their officers’ badge.

As an added bonus, there just happens to be an extra badge. With the help of my Dad, I’ve been able to get my mitts on it! Now, a regular Joe is not allowed to have a police badge because it could be used to impersonate an officer—which is well against the law and not taken lightly. So, tomorrow it will be sent off to be encased in a block of solid acrylic. One of the guys at the station is also talking with the Chief to possibly give it to me for free! Woo-hoo! The badge alone costs $100 or more, and I have no idea how much the acrylic casing costs.

I still haven’t seen the finished badge (I’d at least accept a bad cell phone picture), but I’m looking forward to having my own.