Ada Reporter

Meridian Police Officer uniforms will look a little different in 2023, as the department celebrates 120 years of services to the community of Meridian. To commemorate this event, officers will be allowed to change out their existing patch and badge with ones paying homage to the department’s early years.

The Meridian Police Department began its service to what was then the village of Meridian in 1903 with one (1) officer serving a community of two hundred (200) residents. Records indicate a six-point star badge was worn by officers as early as the 1940’s and were phased out in the mid-1990's, transitioning to the police shield they are today. The patch worn by Meridian officers during this time frame displayed a cow as a nod to Meridian’s history as the Dairy City.

“We are really fortunate as officers to serve such a wonderful community,” said Captain Berle Stokes, a twenty (20) year veteran with the Meridian Police Department. “We are excited to have this opportunity to honor our past 120 years of service to the city while looking to the future and how we can best serve the city of Meridian.”

The new patch and badge designs are a flash to the past, bringing back the six-point star badge and a blue version of the original Meridian cow police patches. The badge will be affixed to the front of officer’s uniforms while the patch will be visible on both sleeves.

With well over 120,000 residents, Meridian’s Police has grown to 143 sworn officers and 43 professional staff dedicated to making Meridian a great place to live, work and raise a family.

These patch and badges will be worn throughout 2023 and signify the phase out of the existing Meridian Police Department badge which will officially be retired in 2024.

Original source can be found here.