- Sillitoe Tartan
[
United Kingdom .] [
Australia andNew Zealand .]Sillitoe Tartan is the name given to the distinctive chequered pattern commonly associated with
police in theUnited Kingdom ,Australia ,New Zealand and some other countries. Based on the diced bands worn by severalScottish regiments on theGlengarry , the pattern was first adopted for police use in1932 by SirPercy Sillitoe ,Chief Constable of theGlasgow Police .cite web |title =The chequered band |url = http://www.afp.gov.au/about/ceremonial/traditions/tartan.html |publisher =Australian Federal Police |accessdate = 2008-08-26 ] Sillitoe Tartan may be composed of several different colours depending on local custom, but when incorporated into uniforms or vehicle livery serves to uniquely identifyemergency service s personnel to the public.Usage by country
United Kingdom
The chequered pattern remained uniquely Scottish until
1974 when it was adopted by all British police forces. Most forces use black and white chequered hat bands, however theCity of London Police is unique in that it uses distinctive red and white chequers. Blue and white chequers are also associated with the police, and may be used on vehicles and signage.Subsequent to the launching of
Battenburg markings on police vehicles in the 1980's, the police introduced retro-reflective versions of the Sillitoe tartan markings to their uniforms, usually in blue and white, rather than the blue and yellow used on vehicles.Australia
Blue and white chequers have become the ubiquitous symbol of policing in Australia. The pattern was introduced into the country by the Commissioner of the
South Australia Police in1961 , following a fact-finding tour of Glasgow in1960 . The police forces of the remaining states and territories progressively adopted the pattern during the 1970s.While blue and white chequers denotes police across Australia (with the notable exception of the
Australian Federal Police , which uses black and white chequers), other coloured chequered patterns may be used to denote other emergency services and particular usage varies from state to state. For example, inNew South Wales (NSW) the Ambulance Service uses red and white chequers onambulances andparamedic 's uniforms, while the State Emergency Service uses orange and white Sillitoe Tartan.United States
Only two police forces in the
United States , theChicago Police Department and thePittsburgh Police , have adopted the chequered pattern.Gallery
ee also
*Black Maria
*Panda car
*Zed-car
*black and white (slang)
*Jam sandwich (slang) References
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