Any idea of the age of this police hat badge?

[GaRebel1861]

The local sheriff showed me a police hat badge that he had found in a field years ago when he was a deputy. My question is, by it's back or style can it be dated? If so, when was this badge likely in use?

 

[Subterranean]

Yes Sir, She's a nice one, more rare with the "Chief" title. Strange that the badge was "found in a field" with the round nut on the screw post. Normally, if they fall off of the hat, the nut is lost too. Hmm... The badge dates from the 1930's-early 1960's based on the design and construction. Hat badges like these were common in badge catalogs then, especially Entenmann, Irvin & Jachens, Blackinton, and a few of the other major badge manufacturers. Hope this helps, Sub

 

[duggap]

Omega was incorporated in 1970. In 2010 the census showed a little over 1200 citizens. You don't usually have a police department until you are an incorporated municipality. So your badge cannot be older than 1970.

 

[always diggin]

cool looking badge Congrats.

 

[Anduril]

Omega was incorporated in 1970. In 2010 the census showed a little over 1200 citizens. You don't usually have a police department until you are an incorporated municipality. So your badge cannot be older than 1970.

Although I know next to nothing about police hat badges, I would (for the moment, anyway) caution against the hard limit of 1970 for a date.

An "incorporated" town or city simply means that it has a charter from the state to have elected offices.
Here's a Rand McNally map from 1910 that shows the town of Omega, GA.
The map doesn't say, but presumably Omega wasn't incorporated then (and subsequently dissolved / only to be re-incorporated later in 1970).
Seems pretty unlikely.

GeorgiaInfo

So I guess the only question is, could you have an unelected Police Chief prior to the town's incorporation?
Answer: I don't know.

Curiously, the 1910 Rand McNally map shows Omega, GA wholly contained in Tift County, but some other web resources claim Omega straddles Tift AND Colquitt counties.
There's also an "Omega School District" described on an even earlier "Hudsins Co." map: 1905. (See lower right)

Old County Maps | TIFT COUNTY GEORGIA (GA) MAP BY THE HUDSINS CO. 1905

Terms like "School District" make me think "official office", but whether elected or unelected, again I don't know.
It could be that these official offices (if any) are administrative subdivisions derived by statute, and not by state charter (i.e., incorporation). [From Wikipedia].
And if so, then the date of Omega's incorporation may have little bearing on the age of the police chief hat badge.
Though, I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[G.I.B.]

Sweet find.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Reb, I found this one on E-bay.
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/380797675906-0-1/s-l1000.jpg
But, that is not an accurate way to ID something.
Here's another similar one dated 1950s-70s.
http://www.hamwichouse.com/book5/files/ha5255.htm

 

[stefen]

Check around and see if you can find a pair of Rayban shades...if so, might want to get a sniffer dog...

As a side note, ever wonder what happens to the Village Idiot when a village is incorporated...hmmmm

In our village he was elected Mayor...

 

[Bruce R]

I'm thinking the screw back badges go back to WW1 and earlier, they were replaced by the pin and clip type which were cheaper and easier to mass produce.

 

[GaRebel1861]

Thank you all for the replies.