A Badge

[Dons]

I am probably being a bit hastey here seeing I am not a sworn officer, but I plan to be some day. When I get my badge, I want it to mean something, and this is why I am upset.

I got onto a bus the other day and realized that every bus driver employed by the Milwaukee County Transit System now carries a badge.

Then I went into Best Buy and noticed that some people working there, not even security, had badges. The Geek Squad I think.

But anyways, the point of this little rant is, Didn't it at one time mean something to carry a badge? Now it seems like everyone and their mother are carrying badges for rediculis reasons.

Can anyone else think of other iligitment badge usage?
Does this upset sworn officers as much as it does me, or am I just getting all worked up over something stupid?

[ftlaudcop]

quite a few city and county workers here carry some sorta small badge,
whether it's the dog catcher, code enforcer, or clerk in our warrants
section.

in my lil home town of midlothian, ill i ran across a guy i went to
high school with and he was fixing a water main for public works
he had not seen me in quite a few yrs...i showed him my badge and he showed me his....a 6 point star just like the village police were issued
and it said public works on it.

it may be more common than you think...


www.schackdaddy.com

[ufresdave]

Its not who has a badge. Its what your badge means. The bus drivers badge symbolizes his ability and authority to drive a bus, the geek squad agents badge symbolizes his ability to fix computers. A peace officers badge symbolizes his appointment as a law enforcement officer of his respective jurisdiction and his authority to enforce all the laws of that state. Anyone and everyone can by a badge online for $20.00 and probably get whatever they want stamped or printed on it. You shouldnt get caught up in the menail details. Focus on what the badge means and symbolizes, not who actually and tangebly posseses or wears one.

Having said that, I do think it is pointless and almost comical that a bus driver, dispatchers, computer geeks, concealed weapons holders, (dare i say, security guard) and any other slew of workers wear badges. At least, it is a waste of money, and at most, it is confusing. Considering there are CO's who dont even have a badge (and wrongly so), I think its safe to say any other "profession" would survive without them.

[Vmax]

Its not who has a badge. Its what your badge means. The bus drivers badge symbolizes his ability and authority to drive a bus, the geek squad agents badge symbolizes his ability to fix computers. A peace officers badge symbolizes his appointment as a law enforcement officer of his respective jurisdiction and his authority to enforce all the laws of that state. Anyone and everyone can by a badge online for $20.00 and probably get whatever they want stamped or printed on it. You shouldnt get caught up in the menail details. Focus on what the badge means and symbolizes, not who actually and tangebly posseses or wears one.

Having said that, I do think it is pointless and almost comical that a bus driver, dispatchers, computer geeks, concealed weapons holders, (dare i say, security guard) and any other slew of workers wear badges. At least, it is a waste of money, and at most, it is confusing. Considering there are CO's who dont even have a badge (and wrongly so), I think its safe to say any other "profession" would survive without them.

Very well said

[keith758]

Badges are a sign of your position, not your authority. Your authority comes from the law.

And by the way, for trivia's sake, in which movie was the infamous line,"Badges? Badges? We don't nee no stinkin' badges!" first uttered? (I know the answer!)

[DaveinUtah]

Badges are a sign of your position, not your authority. Your authority comes from the law.

And by the way, for trivia's sake, in which movie was the infamous line,"Badges? Badges? We don't nee no stinkin' badges!" first uttered? (I know the answer!)


I know it wasn't the first movie, but I think it was said in "Colors" Sean Penn movie.

[DaveinUtah]

It's actually been used A LOT!!!!!!! :D

http://www.darryl.com/badges/allindex.shtml

[keith758]

It was first said in the movie, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' " starring Humphrey Bogart.

[Contact]

If someone shows up at my house to install something, or repair something, and they do not have on some type of identification badge, they do not come in.


What you call a badge on a police officer I've always called it a shield from a poem I heard a while ago.

This is my shield,
I bear it before me into battle,
But it is not mine alone.
It protects my brother on my left.
It protects my city.
I will never let my brother
Out of its shadow,
Nor my city out of its shelter.
I will die with my shield before me
Facing the enemy.

A police officers shield is a symbol of protection, rather than a name sake in my humble opinion.

[1sgkelly]

Badges are one thing; the power of life and death is altogether another.

That

[Spee-Dee]

I can see where you're coming from. Our name tags at Wal-Mart are called badges and I've always hated the sound of that. They're not badges; they're name tags. Mine apparently means that I'm a "customer service specialist" although my photoshopped one says that I'm an "chemical and *****wipe specialist." What does that mean? I can balance toilet paper and tell customers what various types of dish detergent taste like. I don't find myself worthy of wearing a "badge" at Wal-mart.

[Hanks44]

Badges are a sign of your position, not your authority. Your authority comes from the law.

And by the way, for trivia's sake, in which movie was the infamous line,"Badges? Badges? We don't nee no stinkin' badges!" first uttered? (I know the answer!)


Also from "Blazing Saddles"

[MP_HANDLER]

my doggie has a badge, but hes also my partner

[Pedro56]

I look at it this way, that bus driver or that waterworks fool or whomever has a badge that isnt LE or Fire, didn't really work for their badge. They filled out an application for it. Thats it. We all worked for our badges, some of us carry a number that has been in our family for generations and some of us have a number that means everything to us. We bled sweat shed tears (maybe) worked our balls off for that piece of metal we wear so proudly on our chests. So who cares if some screw ball applicant has a badge, it's all about how you look at it.