About the Wichita Police Department:
The Wichita Police Department is the largest
Law Enforcement agency in the state of Kansas with 645 commissioned officers and 210 civilian employees. The first badges purchased by the Wichita Police Department were ordered from the Wichita Novelty House
on November 28, 1888. The City authorized a payment of $19.50 for the badges
of the 22 member department. The current badge of the Wichita Police Department is a Entemann-Rovin Co. # 154R and has been
in use since 1953.
The Wichita Police Department patch has
not been changed since the late 1930's and is based on a City Seal from that era. Kansas is known as "The Wheat State" and
"The Sunflower State." The sunflower appears in the center of the patch with the initials C of W, for City of Wichita in the
center of the flower. The base design of the patch is the shape of a Wheat Sheaf. The
Wichita Police Department has had some notable, historic figures among its ranks.
According to Roger Williamson, in Wichita Police Department 1871-2000, “On
April 21, 1875, Wyatt Earp was appointed policeman on the Wichita force, and the appointment entered on the records of the
city. This was the first time that Wyatt Earp’s name appeared in the city’s official records. Wichita’s
police force then consisted of Marshal Mike Meagher, Assistant Marshal John Behrens, Policemen James Cairns and Earp.
The marshal’s salary was $91.66, Behrens earned $75.00, while Cairns and Earp each were paid $60.00 a month.”
Source:
wichitagov.org/CityOffices
/Police/Support+Services/
RecordsBureau/Records+
Information/info.htm
wichitagov.org/CityOffices
/Police/History/HistoryBeginning.htm
