DPS Breast Badge

Each of the seven points on the Arizona Department of Public Safety breast badge reflects an exceptional quality associated with the Department's philosophy toward justice. In fact, each point represents a letter in the word "Justice" which serves as an acronym to describe something special to those associated with the state's top law enforcement agency.

J -"Eleven o'clock" represents Justice.

U -"One o'clock" personifies Undaunted commitment to law enforcement.

S -"Three o'clock" denotes Service.

T -"Five o'clock" stands for Trust.

I -"Six o'clock" reflects Integrity.

C -"Seven o'clock" represents Courtesy as embodied in the Department's motto of "Courteous Vigilance."

E -"Nine o'clock" symbolizes Empathy.

Retired DPS Major Harley Thompson is credited with creating the framework of this acronym adopted by the Department.

DPS Flag

This flag with its unique design is dedicated to all Arizona Department of Public Safety employees of yesterday, today and tomorrow, especially to those officers who made the supreme sacrifice in a valiant effort to preserve public safety.

The field of blue in the DPS flag reflects boldness and the Department's desire to serve. A golden horizon depicts DPS' broad scope of expertise and the Department's promising future. A saguaro cactus and a pine tree symbolizes DPS' mission as a statewide law enforcement agency with responsibilities extending from the state's vast deserts to its highest mountains.

The DPS breast badge demonstrates pride in ourselves, our agency and our accomplishments. The agency's motto of "Courteous Vigilance" provides DPS officers with guidance and foundation. The flag's black border serves as a memorial for DPS officers killed in the line of duty.

Designed by the Department's Silver Anniversary Committee, the DPS flag made its first official appearance on January 26, 1994, during the agency's 25th anniversary celebration at DPS headquarters in Phoenix.

DPS Shoulder Patch

The state-outline patch worn by today's DPS officers was designed by Patrolman Richard E. Richardson in 1971, about two years after the Arizona Highway Patrol became part of the newly-formed Arizona Department of Public Safety. Although the color scheme remained the same, Richardson's design replaced the shield patch worn by the Arizona Highway Patrol.

Today's patch is shaped in the outline of the state's boundaries with colors and patterns reflecting those found in the Arizona state flag. According to state archives, the copper star represents Arizona's vast mineral deposits and the industry these minerals create. The red-and-gold stripes depict the rays of a desert sunset and the colors of the Spanish flag carried by Arizona's early explorers. The blue combined with gold represents the state's official colors.

Arizona State Flag

The design of the Arizona state flag was created in 1910, two years before statehood, by Col. Charles Wilfred Harris, then a captain in the Arizona National Guard, later adjutant general of Arizona.

He selected the colors of red and gold for the upper portion of the state flag because those were the colors used in the first flag brought into what is now Arizona by the Spanish Conquistadors under Coronado. The colors of blue and gold were chosen because they are Arizona's official state colors.

Harris wanted to associate Arizona with the federal union. He divided the upper half of the flag into 13 segments, the same number of stripes in the U.S. flag. Coincidentally, there were only 13 counties in the state at that time. The stripes represent the rays of a desert sunset, emblematic of a western state.

The star is copper colored, symbolic of Arizona's vast mineral deposits and the industry these minerals create. It also is a rising star, representing Arizona's ascendancy to the position of statehood.

The colors red and blue are the same shades used in the U.S. flag.

DPS Hat Badge

The badge on the Montana peak hat worn by Highway Patrol officers of the Arizona Department of Public Safety was designed in 1941 by Pulitzer Prize winner Reg Manning, at that time a staff artist for The Arizona Republic, the state's largest daily newspaper.

The hat badge's design is comprised of several symbols indicative of the state of Arizona. It contains representations of a saguaro cactus, a pine tree, a saguaro blossom (Arizona's state flower), mountains, a petroglyph of an eagle, an outline of Arizona's boundaries, the state seal and a Navajo sand painting rainbow symbol.

The name "Arizona Highway Patrol" is also etched on the hat badge.