Sillitoe Tartan
Encyclopedia
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
in Scotland, but which later spread to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the rest of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as well as to some other places such as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Based on the diced bands seen on the Glengarries
Glengarry
The glengarry bonnet is a traditional boat-shaped hat without a peak made of thick-milled woollen material with a toorie on top, a rosette cockade on the left, and ribbons hanging down behind...
that are worn by several Scottish regiments, the pattern was first adopted for police use in 1932 by Sir Percy Sillitoe
Percy Sillitoe
Sir Percy Joseph Sillitoe KBE was Director General of MI5, the United Kingdom's internal security service, from 1946 to 1953...
, Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of the City of Glasgow Police
City of Glasgow Police
The City of Glasgow Police was the police of the City of Glasgow, Scotland. In the 17th century, Scottish cities used to hire watchmen to guard the streets at night, augmenting a force of unpaid citizen constables. On June 30, 1800, the authorities of Glasgow, successfully petitioned the British...
.
Sillitoe Tartan may be composed of several different colours and number of rows depending on local custom, but when incorporated into uniforms or vehicle livery serves to uniquely identify emergency service
Emergency service
Emergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
s personnel to the public.
United Kingdom
The Sillitoe tartan was an exclusively Scottish phenomenon until introduced in South Australia in 1961. From 1972, within the United Kingdom, the original black and white Scottish version began to rapidly spread throughout England and Wales and it is now used by all police forces in Great Britain. Most forces use black and white chequered hat bands, however the City of London PoliceCity of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
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
Battenburg markings
Battenburg refers to a pattern of high-visibility markings used to maximise conspicuity, primarily used on vehicles of the emergency services, but also in other applications such as uniforms...
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 PoliceSouth Australia Police
The South Australia Police is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. It is an agency of the Government of South Australia within the South Australian Department of Justice.-History:...
in 1961, following a fact-finding tour of Glasgow in 1960. The police forces of the remaining states and territories
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
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
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
, 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, in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
(NSW) the Ambulance Service
Ambulance Service of New South Wales
The Ambulance Service of New South Wales , an agency of the Department of Health of the New South Wales Government, is the main provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
uses red and white chequers on ambulances and paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
's uniforms, while the State Emergency Service
New South Wales State Emergency Service
The New South Wales State Emergency Service is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is made up almost entirely of volunteers, with 228 units located throughout New South Wales. The units are composed of some 10,000 volunteer members, who are easily identified by...
uses orange and white Sillitoe Tartan. St. John Ambulance
St. John Ambulance
St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John...
uses a white and green pattern on their vehicles and operational uniforms in both South Australia and Victoria.
| National patterns | ||
 |
State/Territory Police | Blue / White |
 |
Australian Federal Police Australian Federal Police The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of... |
Black / White |
 |
State/Territory Emergency Service State Emergency Service A State Emergency Service is an Australian volunteer organisation that provides emergency help during and after declared disasters. The SES is also the primary or secondary agency for emergencies, such as storm damage,flood damage, building damage, traffic hazards and road crash rescue... |
Orange / White |
| State patterns | ||
 |
NSW: Ambulance Service Ambulance Service of New South Wales The Ambulance Service of New South Wales , an agency of the Department of Health of the New South Wales Government, is the main provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales, Australia.... Northern Territory: Fire and Rescue Service Victoria: Country Fire Authority Country Fire Authority Country Fire Authority, or CFA, is the name of the fire service that provides firefighting and other emergency services to all of the country areas and regional townships within the state of Victoria, Australia, as well as large portions of the outer suburban areas and growth corridors of Melbourne... |
Red / White |
 |
NSW: Patient Transport Service NSW: Volunteer Rescue Association Volunteer Rescue Association The Volunteer Rescue Association is an Australian organisation of volunteer members across New South Wales who assist in times of emergency.... South Australia and Victoria: St. John Ambulance St. John Ambulance St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John... |
Green / White |
 |
South Australia: Metropolitan Fire Service Metropolitan Fire Service The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service is South Australia's government-funded fire service.The South Australian Fire Brigade was formed in 1882, following passing of the Fire Brigades Act.In 1981 the service was renamed to SAMFS when it became government funded.The MFS has 35 fire stations... |
Red / Navy |
 |
South Australia: Country Fire Service Country Fire Service The SA Country Fire Service is a volunteer based fire service in the state of South Australia in Australia. Many parts of Australia are sparsely populated whilst at the same time they are under significant risk of bushfire. Due to economics, it is prohibitively expensive for each Australian town... |
Red / Orange |
 |
NSW: Corrective Services, South Australia: Police - Protective Security Services, Victoria: Police - Protective Services Officers |
Yellow / Navy |
| NSW: Fire and Rescue NSW, South Australia: Country Fire Service Country Fire Service The SA Country Fire Service is a volunteer based fire service in the state of South Australia in Australia. Many parts of Australia are sparsely populated whilst at the same time they are under significant risk of bushfire. Due to economics, it is prohibitively expensive for each Australian town... |
Yellow / Red | |
New Zealand Police
General law enforcement in New Zealand is the responsibility of the country's national police service. The New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
wear a blue uniform, similar in colour to those found in Australia, and share the same three-row Sillitoe Tartan of blue and white. The patern is also borne across stab vests and elsewhere.
Canada
Use of the Sillitoe Tartan is rare in Canada and is usually limited to auxiliary police services. For example, the Toronto PoliceToronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
Auxiliary wear a red and black chequered band on their caps.
United States
Only a few police forces in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
have adopted the chequered pattern: the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
, Cook County Sheriff's Police, Brookfield
Brookfield, Illinois
Brookfield is a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, west of downtown. The population was 19,085 at the 2000 census...
(Illinois) Police, Forest Park
Forest Park, Illinois
Forest Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in the United States. The population was 15,688 at the 2000 census...
(Illinois) Police, Evergreen Park
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,044 at the 2009 census.-Geography:Evergreen Park is located at . The suburb is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three of its sides, while Oak Lawn and Hometown border it on the west...
(Illinois) Police, Hillside
Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,155 at the 2000 census.One notable landmark in Hillside is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the grounds of the cemetery are the graves of a number of organized crime figures, such as Al Capone and Dion O'Bannion...
(Illinois) Police, and the Pittsburgh Police
Pittsburgh Police
The Pittsburgh Police, or officially the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, is the largest law enforcement agency in Western Pennsylvania and the third largest in Pennsylvania...
. The American departments use a two-row pattern, vice the three-row pattern common in Europe and Australasia. Many other departments in the United States and Canada, while lacking the tartan on their cap bands, have begun using two-row reflective versions as part of the design on high-visibility outer garments and vests.
Chicago Police Department
The common belief is that Orlando Wilson, the then Superintendent of Police, introduced the chequered pattern to his force after a visit to Australia in the mid-1970s. This is somewhat unusual as there are photographs from the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention Riots that clearly show Chicago police officers wearing hats with the chequered band. Chicago's pattern is dark blue and silver for patrolmen and detectives, and dark blue and gold for sergeants and higher ranks. The band is around not only the department's service capsPeaked cap
A peaked cap, forage cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations and also by many uniformed civilian organizations such as law enforcement agencies...
, but winter knit caps, summer baseball-style caps, the campaign hat
Campaign hat
A campaign cover is a broad-brimmed felt or straw hat, with a high crown, pinched symmetrically at the four corners .It is associated with the New Zealand Army, the Royal Canadian...
s and horse bridles of the mounted unit, bicycle helmets, and dog collars as well; it is not worn on the fur trim winter hat nor the light blue riot/motorcycle helmets. The Chicago Police also use the pattern on some signage, graphics, and architectural detail on newer police stations.
Brookfield, Forest Park, Hillside, and Evergreen Park police departments
The police of Brookfield, Forest Park, Hillside, and Evergreen Park follow the same color protocols as nearby Chicago, although Evergreen Park and Hillside use black vice dark blue, in keeping with their uniforms.Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
The Pittsburgh Police use a black and gold pattern, in keeping with their uniform colours. Pittsburgh's use of the tartan is in keeping with the blue and white chequerboard band across the city's coat of arms and flag, and the prominence of black and gold in the city's arms, flag, and sports teams' uniforms, inter alia.Joliet Police Department
Whilst not part of their standard uniform, officers from the Joliet Police Department (Illinois) have been noted to wear a green and white chequerboard band around their hats during the Chicago's Saint Patrick's Day Parade.Deerfield Beach Fire Department
In FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Deerfield Beach Fire Station 102 use a yellow and red 3 tier sillitoe tartan pattern on the sides of their rescue amubulance. This pattern is identical to that used by Fire and Rescue NSW.
Spain
Blue and white sillitoe tartan is used by the several local Spanish police forces. Both the Toledo and Mijas local policia use a three tiered version on vehicles in a fashion very similar to Australian police vehicles. The Ajuntament de Sóller and Barcelona local Policía both use two tiered blue and white versions.Brunei
The Royal Brunei Police ForceRoyal Brunei Police Force
The Royal Brunei Police Force ) was founded in 1921 with the passing of the Brunei Police Force Enactment. The police force is in charge of prisons, fire services, the issuing of licenses, immigration, and keeping law and order in the streets...
use blue and white sillitoe tartan on various police vehicles but not on uniforms.
Malaysia
The Royal Malaysia Police use a gold and blue sillitoe tartan on vehicles but not on any uniforms or insignia.Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
use to a limited extent both a 2 and 3 tier blue/white sillitoe tartan scheme on traffic vehicles. This pattern appears to be similar to the Australian style of police markings.
See also
- Black Maria
- Panda carPanda carThe phrase panda car refers to a small or medium-sized police car operated by British police forces. They are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, Road Policing Unit duties and as Armed Response Vehicles-History of the term:Panda...
- Zed-carZ-CarsZ-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
- black and white (slang)Black and white (slang)Black and white is an American slang term for a police car that is painted in large panels of black and white or generally any "marked" police car. Historically, this scheme was much favored by North American police forces because it allowed the unambiguous recognition of patrol units from a...
- Jam sandwich (slang)