State police officers have recognizable uniforms, but thanks to this infographic from Wizard Pins, we can see that no states have the exact same design. The graphic shows each state’s uniform including details of the patches and badges. State police are responsible for enforcing state law, protecting highways, government buildings and officials, and so much more. Study this infographic and you’ll be able to recognize an officer in any state.
You’ll notice that many uniforms are blue, gray, or brown, but there are a few unique exceptions on the graphic like French blue, and green. The badges and patches often mimic the crests of state flags, but some have unique designs to the police force. Other features unique to certain states stick out like the Stetson hat of the Texas Highway Patrol or the brown leather shoes of the Rhode Island State Police. New York is the only state where officers don’t wear their badge on their uniform, and the Louisiana uniform patch has a unique L-shape similar to the state’s borders. Another notable difference is what the force calls itself. 23 states use the term “state police”, but 15 call the force “Highway Patrol,” 7 call themselves “State Patrol,” and 3 say “State Highway Patrol.” Alaska’s force are called the “State Troopers” and Hawaii calls their force the “State Sheriff.”
The graphic also gives us information on when each state force was founded. Even though Hawaii was the last state to join the union, it has the oldest state police force, followed by Massachusetts as one of the oldest states. Comparing uniforms sheds some interesting light on state history, and this colorful graphic can help you with research reference or a quick costume guide at a glance. This infographic really captures the ways we can visually learn about the different states.
