United Nations Police

[leigh kitchen]

Some insignia are UN generic, others are specifically for police contingents serving in UN MIssions.

Here are a few of each:

The gilt & enamel beret badge of the type issued in the 1970's, worn for example by the Australian police contingent in Cyprus as well as the varous military contingents.

The badge as issued by the end of the 1990's, I'm not sure if "the white" is of enamel or plastic.

[leigh kitchen]

A badge produced specifically for the UN Police in gilt &, I thInk, white paint.

UnlIke the previous issued badges, this one, a private purchase badge, has east/west butterfly clip fittings & bears raised lettering on the reverse "UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL POLICE TASK FORCE".

Edited December 16, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The above badge was fitted to this beret when purchased, the beret's produced by a French manufacturer, Beatex, & this one came from the Turkish military PX at Sarajevo in 2000.

The badge on it in this photo though is a private purchase British one in bullion, of the same era.

Note the small holes left by the pin fittings of the badge, the cloth one being placed further forward, so it's worn above the left eye in British fashion rather than left temple.

Edited December 13, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

One of a variety of private purchase bullion badges available in East Timor circa 2003 -04, still in its wrapper.

[leigh kitchen]

Private purchase badge, East Timor, circa 2003 - 04, it's of cast metal & the white is presumably paint - also available in light blue instead of white. Still in its wrapper, it has the flimsy vertical brooch fitting of the issue badges.

[leigh kitchen]

Some private purchase International Police Task Force patches from about 2000, purchased from the Norwegian PX & a seller who worked from a shop (a static, broken down van) at Tito Barracks, Sarajevo, the barracks was used for UN IPTF training etc.

It seems a good idea to have a patch indicating the function of the wearer, but these were'nt issue items to members of the IPTF. I only know of one contingent, the American one, which provided such patches as part of the issue uniforms.

To the casual eye, the cyrilic "IPTF" looks like "NATO".

Black & yellow seems a strange combination to use on a badge indicating "police", but blue & white were used by the miltary in the Stabilistaion Force "SFOR" in their very similar patch.

Edited December 16, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

A slightly smaller version of the above badge:

[leigh kitchen]

A Croatian made badge (I think):

[leigh kitchen]

A French Gendarmerie badge based on the design of badges worn back home in France, but in gold coloured metal rather than silver coloured & with the IPTF shield.

A private purchase item (I don't know if it was actually issued to the French) it came without the leather backing, but this has one as I scrounged the backing from a Gendarme (thank you Martine).

The badge has north/south butterfly clip fittings, is solid die-struck & bears raised lettering on the reverse "GENDARMERIE NATIONALE".

An attractive design I feel, & again useful as it tells both "internationals" & more importantly local people what your role is.

Edited December 13, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

A Bangladeshi National flag patch, East Timor, circa 2003 - 04:

[Gordon Craig]

Leigh,

Very interesting stuff. I'll have to see if I have anything to add.

Regards,

Gordon

[leigh kitchen]

I hope you have, this could become very varied & crowded thread.

A Sri Lankan Police patch, as worn in UNPOL, East Timor, c2003 -04:

[leigh kitchen]

Reverse of the Sri Lankan patch:

[leigh kitchen]

The sleeve patch of the "United Kingdom Police" worn by UK police officers in a number of UN, OSCE Missions etc.

Introduced sometime between 2000 & 2003.

[leigh kitchen]

The "Police" patch worn above the left breast shirt pocket, as above:

[leigh kitchen]

The shoulder strap worn with the above two badges.

It has two horizontal bands across the back to allow it to slide over the shirt shoulderstrap, the badge is held in place by two east/west butterfly clips.

The strange looking "button" is a press stud type fitting, which is non-functional as it does'nt have anythng to clip to, it's just for decoration.

Previous designs of shoulderstrap were "slip on" but of a different design, they had a tab which slipped through two horzontal bands sewn to the shoulder of the shirt, & were fitted with chromed Metropolitan Police buttons which were either left in place or replaced by the wearer with his own force buttons. Not many bothered to replace the buttons.

Presumably the badge can be used as a cap or beret badge in Missions which don't require an organisational badge such as the UN one to be worn by all nationalities.

[leigh kitchen]

.

[leigh kitchen]

A "general issue" item, issued in Mission, along with a khaki brassard bearing the UN patch, light blue beret with metal badge, light blue cravat & perhaps a cloth shoulder title specifc to the UN Mission concerned.

The armband is of embroidered felt, backed by plastic.

Not a popular item for wear, raely seen in wear, at least in UNMIBH 1999 - 2000, & not at all in UNMISET 2003 - 2004 although issued.

[leigh kitchen]

The reverse of the UN armband:

[leigh kitchen]

Small Union Flag, issued to UK Police in UNMIBH, sewn to a dark blue brassard above the UN patch.

It measures about 2 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches high, & was sold by Scout shops, along with a verson about twvce the size.

[leigh kitchen]

Custom made brassard, with pocket (if you have to wear a brassard, it might as well have a practical use as well as show badges).

Private purchase embroidered Union Flag & private purchase silver bullion "old style" UN patch with just English wording & not English & French.

[leigh kitchen]

As above, but with prvate purchase "IPTF" patch, as per post no. 6, which is tacked on over the small Union Flag as per post 20, covering it from view:

[leigh kitchen]

As above, but this time a private purchase UN Cvilian Police patch is tacked over the small Union Flag.

Like the IPTF patch, it indicates that the wearer is a foreign police officer with the UN, but again, was not issue.

The UNMIBH shoulder title was issued by UNMIBH, along wth the UN armband, cravat, & khaki brassard & a few loose UN patches.

[leigh kitchen]

A custom made brassard with pocket, made from black gortex for wear on the black gortex field suit.

The Union Flag is private purchase, usually sold to & worn by the army (the larger of two badges in the range), hence the green border, the UN patch is the old style "English only" type UN issue, the British police force crest & word "POLICE" are a one piece badge worn on the left breast of a British police forces "wooly-pully", cut into two pieces.

[leigh kitchen]

Private purchase United Nations "CIVPOL" breast shield, soild struck or cast, gilded front & back & with a serial number stamped on the reverse.

The silver coloured scrolls with black lettering are applied, as is the enamelled disc.