There's a new look to the Altona Police Service's crest.
Needing to restock its inventory of shoulder insignia, Chief Dan Defer says members used the opportunity to come up with a new design and overhauled what it looks like.
"The two big prominent features on it are the new badge for the Altona Police Service with the King's Crown and, of course, the buffalo which represents Manitoba," he explained.
Additionally, there is a sheath of wheat that represents the agricultural roots of Altona and, on the bottom, is the provincial flag accompanied by the year the department was incorporated, 1919.
Out with the old and in with the new
The new shield shape of the insignia also differs from the current squared-off form and separates it from similarly designed ones sported by many other police departments in Manitoba, noted Defer, who is an avid collector of law enforcement insignia himself.
"It was a trend going back ten, fifteen years ago for uniformity within police departments. So, our crest was basically the same as Morden's, Winkler's, Winnipeg's, Brandon's, the slight differences being the city it represents and maybe the badge in it."
A nod to the past
Considering this, Defer says he felt it was time to bring back a unique crest for the Altona Police Service, much like had been done in the past.
"It brings back the provincial buffalo. The shield shape kind of goes back to what we had in the 90s."
Currently being used on the department's letterhead, Defer says the public will start seeing the new insignia on officer's uniforms shortly. As for the police cruisers, the image will be put on a new marked vehicle due to arrive in the summer. Defer says it's likely the other marked cruiser will get re-decaled at that time.