What's Happening in Meridian, ID…

To celebrate 120 years of service, Meridian Police Department officers are sporting a new uniform this year.

Officers will be able to change their existing badge and patch with ones that commemorate the early years of the department. The new badge and patch highlight the past, with a badge with a six-point star and the original cow police patches in blue. The patch will be worn on both sleeves while the badge will be on the front of the uniforms.

News about such changes in police uniforms is often made known throughout a city with flyer printing.

Captain Berle Stokes, who has been with the Meridian Police Department for 20 years, expressed his excitement about having the opportunity to honor the 120 years of the department’s service to the community, as the department also looks to the future to determine how best it can serve the city of Meridian.

The Meridian Police Department began serving the village in 1903, with one officer serving 200 people. As early as the 1940s, records indicate that officers wore a badge with a six-point star, which was phased out in the mid-1990s to what they wear today. The patch displayed a cow, which honors the history of Meridian as the Dairy City.

These revamped patches and badges will be worn throughout the year.