It was a very proud and historic moment for the Edmonton Police Service last week.
The Service officially unveiled its first ever Colours, along with a newly redesigned crest at a very special ceremony at City Hall on Jan. 22.
The EPS felt it was important to have its own “battle honours” to commemorate its seven officers who lost their lives while policing.
“The Colours were created for the primary purpose to honour the memory of those members,” says EPS Staff Sgt. Adrian Marr. “Secondly, they are to provide for members of the Service a focus of pride by tangibly representing what the Service stand for and the sacrifices its members have made.”
The ceremony was attended by Police Chief Mike Boyd, Lt. Gov. Norman Kwong, Edmonton Police Commission chairman Brian Gibson, past Chiefs, government officials and other respected guests. The EPS Chorus opened the ceremony with song and the Police Historical Unit, donning full historical dress, helped usher in VIPs.
In 2002, former Police Chief Bob Wasylyshen approved the creation of the EPS Colours and two years later, the Colours were designed and approved by the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The EPS Colours, a dark blue flag with a gold fringe, is symbolic of battle honours such as flags, banners and standards that have been used for thousands of years by armies to serve as rallying points for soldiers in battle. As army regiments embroidered their battle honours on their flags so new soldiers could see their accomplishments and what it represented, the EPS Colours display what the service stands for. Inside the fringe are embroidered wild roses and maple leafs. In the centre is the new EPS crest, around which the names of the fallen officers are embroidered. The Colours will remain encased and be the central focal point for the EPS Wall of Honour in the atrium at Police Headquarters.
The Colours were blessed and consecrated by retired EPS Chaplain Kurt Schmidlin and presented to the EPS by Lt. Gov. Norman Kwong. The EPS Pipes and Drums paraded the Colours for the consecration.
The redesigned EPS crest was also unveiled at the ceremony on Jan. 22. The EPS and Edmonton Police Commission began the process of obtaining a new crest in 1997, when it was realized that the existing crest didn’t have the appropriate approvals from the Canadian Heraldic Society.
Although the EPS established its roots in 1892, its very first crest wasn’t designed until the mid 1970s and has undergone several changes over the years. The new crest is rich in symbolic meaning and reflects the history of the EPS. The Royal Crown at the top of the crest symbolizes the administration of Crown’s justice. The laurel of maple leaves and wild roses refer to Canada and Alberta. Elements of the city’s coat of arms are captured in the centre of the emblem, which contains a sun and a winged wheel to represent our sunny weather and rich aviation and industrial history. The wavy ribbon symbolizes the North Saskatchewan River and our agricultural history is reflected by the sheaf. The crest motto – integrity, courage, community – express the character of the Edmonton Police Service.
The new crest will be incorporated gradually in phases to minimize costs.