# What's your departments policy on patch requests?



## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

Just say no or?

Dear Chief REDACTED,

My name is Siegfried Engelhardt and I am Police Officer in Bavaria/Germany. My Department is in Fuerth, a small town near Munich.

I am Police Officer since 34 years and since 9 years I am collecting Police shoulder patches, badges and hats.

Now our Police Department got a new building in 1997. So I am looking for a shoulder patch from your Department, because I want to manage showcases in our new Department. There are patches, badges an hats from Police Forces from all around the world.

Therefore my question if you can give me a shoulder patch from your Police Department for my showcases. Of course in exchange with the same from my Department. But if you want, I'll pay the patch, too.

Thanking you in advance for your trouble and looking forward to your reply. It would be great, if you can help me.

Sincerely,

Siegfried Engelhardt

Polizeihauptkommissar

For those that want to trade with this guy:

Siegfried Engelhardt Fürth, April 04, 2007
Polizeihauptkommissar
Polizeiinspektion Fuerth
Kapellenstrasse 10
D-90762 Fürth
Bavaria/Germany

[email protected]


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## epd111 (Jul 20, 2006)

Chief was okay with it, on a limited basis, until he found one of our patches on ebay. THAT was a sight to see. Took the sheetrockers all day to fix the ceiling.

Pretty much a no-no now - with extremely rare, one on one trades.

I should never have sent him that link.


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

it's more of a personal thing than a departmental one.

some guys collect/trade patches and it is not frowned upon.

If my chief got a letter like this, he probably would seek out one of the patch collectors.


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

What town is it for? Kind of odd that an officer in Bavaria would ask lets say Westover Mass for one. I can see NYC, or LA maybe Boston but anything else i find it hard to believe that he would look up individual towns in mass and ask.


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

HELPMe said:


> What town is it for? Kind of odd that an officer in Bavaria would ask lets say Westover Mass for one. I can see NYC, or LA maybe Boston but anything else i find it hard to believe that he would look up individual towns in mass and ask.


Many patch collectors are more concerned with the style and artistic work than a patch that everyone else has. Some people take this seriously and it can be quite an investment.

I still have the Registry Police and Met patch. It's these kind of patches that are usually sought after more than NYPD which is everywhere.

I stopped collecting at about 100 because I got bored with it. Once word gets out that you're a collector, you'd be amazed at the requests.


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## PearlOnyx (Jun 28, 2002)

Our department sells our patches on department's website in our "Cop Shop" (Online Store). I don't think I've seen a policy on trading, but since they sell them I don't imagine it would be a big deal.

On a side note, I'm thinking about selling of my Massachusetts collection. I've got around 100 patches, with a lot of real odd hard to find ones. I haven't decided yet though.


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## rg1283 (Sep 14, 2005)

I only have the surrounding towns, and maybe some departments that just have a cool looking patch. Like the Salem. MA Police, my favorite kind of hard to find the Salem, MA Police Witch on a Bike for the Bike Patrol unit. It seems that now a days more and more police departments are changing patch styles every 5 years or so, making it harder to maintain a collection.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2007)

In the dept. I use to work in the request for patches was handled by a Sgt. or Lt... never a charge... usually just a patch for patch trade.. If more than 1 (one) patch was requested a small fee of $2.50 was charged for each addtional patch..


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

94c said:


> Many patch collectors are more concerned with the style and artistic work than a patch that everyone else has. Some people take this seriously and it can be quite an investment.
> 
> I still have the Registry Police and Met patch. It's these kind of patches that are usually sought after more than NYPD which is everywhere.
> 
> I stopped collecting at about 100 because I got bored with it. Once word gets out that you're a collector, you'd be amazed at the requests.


Yeah, I never really got into patch collecting. Most towns around where i live anyway will not trade or sell patches due to security concerns from 9/11. I wasnt knocking the hobby just thought it was a little suspicious that a German Polizi officer would ask that town for one.


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## PearlOnyx (Jun 28, 2002)

Rg,

You can usually find Salem on Ebay. They used to sell them in the little store case in the front lobby of the station, but I think that has since stopped.


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## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

Prolly also towns with a website.



HELPMe said:


> What town is it for? Kind of odd that an officer in Bavaria would ask lets say Westover Mass for one. I can see NYC, or LA maybe Boston but anything else i find it hard to believe that he would look up individual towns in mass and ask.


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