By Kathy Chouteau
Community members out and about in San Pablo may have noticed something new about its police officers: The San Pablo Police Department (SPPD) has debuted a new police patch.
The SPPD said it formed a committee to design a new patch to reflect its department, community and technological advances over the last year. “The patch committee worked diligently to create our new patch, and this new design holds a lot of symbolism,” per the department on Facebook.
The SPPD outlined the meaning behind the new patch:
The new police patch features the North Star, which is a beacon of inspiration and hope and helps guide the department’s moral compass.
A mission bell is prominent, as the community of Manzanillo, Mexico—a sister city to San Pablo—gifted the city a bronze bell in 1968 that was displayed within the Adobe Wall at Kennedy Plaza. Mission bells have been a staple of San Pablo since the 1800’s.
A tree makes an appearance on the patch because there are forty-eight different species of trees in San Pablo, most notably, Western Sycamores, Coast Live Oaks, Evergreens, Willows and Blue Elderberry.
Tree roots symbolize the SPPD’s deep connection and history with the community.
A creek is depicted on the patch since Wildcat Creek and San Pablo Creek flow through San Pablo. The San Pablo Creek watershed played an important role in the early history of the city.
Morse Code appears in the creek on the patch since it helped pave the way in the advancement of today’s modern technology. On the patch, Morse Code symbolizes the police department’s commitment to technology and to community engagement.
Learn more about the San Pablo Police Department here.
