Nothing beats the dedication many of our police officers have for their jobs. With the knowledge that their lives are on the line, they wake up everyday to fulfil their duties of serving and protecting Americans. We at Eagle Six Gear fully understand what it means to stand behind that thin blue line and uphold the peace, law and order in our great nation. And we also know that many patriots believe in supporting them so as a show of appreciation, we have created an apparel line dedicated to backing the blue and police support.
All our thin blue line apparel is custom made to order. Our tees are 100% made in the USA. Our hats are made by Flexfit and New Era. Our mission is to provide employment to service disabled veterans and give back to the law enforcement community thru donations and support. Thank you for helping us do that!
Policing in America - A Brief History
The United States didn't always have law enforcement officers as we know them today. During Colonial America, there were watchmen - they were people who either signed up to patrol for a certain day and time for a pay or people who were put on watch duty as punishment. Since the “night watch” was a system that was very informal and was largely for-profit and privately funded local businesses, it was not very effective. Watchmen often slacked off while on duty or spent the time drinking.
Additionally, as the nation developed and communities grew, the night watch system became useless. To keep up with increasing urbanization, different regions began to develop their own policing systems.
The first centralized and publicly funded police force was created by Boston in 1838, and not long after, New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, and Philadelphia followed suit. Before the 19th century came to a close, most major cities in America had established some form of organized police force and policing system.
Today, there are approximately 18,000 police agencies in the United States and more than 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers.
Law Enforcement and Our Communities
Needless to say, our law enforcement officers play a very important role in our communities.
Every year, approximately 8.3 million crimes are committed in the United States. Police officers are working round the clock to ensure justice for these offenses and conduct millions of arrests every year to promote public safety.
Members of law enforcement play two roles in society - as members of the community they serve and as part of the government that protects that community. It is important that they play both roles well in order to effectively uphold the main purpose of law enforcement.
It is the goal of law enforcement to promote the safety of the public and preserve the rule of law. If this goal is achieved, then the freedom of every citizen is also protected.
Sadly, there is a rift forming between police and some members of the community. This is because a growing number of people are starting to view members of law enforcement as mainly enforcers and no longer guardians. From the early 2000s, there has been a steady decline in public confidence and trust in law enforcement officers.
As a response, law enforcement agencies are being encouraged to rebuild their relationship with the public by strictly following proper and lawful policing practices. In truth, the government does have the power to exert force in order to achieve its ends, but it still needs to do so while staying well within the boundaries of the very law it is trying to uphold.
Many members of the community are also working to restore the public’s trust and support for law enforcement. They are employing means to educate and encourage others to understand that if law enforcement officers have a role in the community, so do civilians.
There is an average of 2.2 police officers for every 1000 civilians. With such a disparity, the help of the public is needed to ensure that peace prevails no matter what. It is important for every US citizen to be familiar with the laws in their own communities, to act within these laws and to respect the authority of the ones tasked to uphold these laws.
The key is mutual respect. If both parties support each other, then a mostly harmonious society is not impossible to achieve.
The Thin Blue Line
The thin blue line is a symbol that is closely associated with law enforcement.
Typically, it is depicted as a thin strip of blue line against a black background. There is a significance to the line running through the middle: the space above the line represents the law abiding citizens and the space below the line represents those who are criminally inclined. The blue line in between symbolizes the law enforcers whose dual roles are protecting the citizens and enforcing the law.
The thin blue line is also popularly incorporated in a black and white American flag as a show of both patriotism and support for law enforcement officers.
A little backstory…
The thin blue line did not originate in the United States. It was adopted from a depiction of the Crimean War (1853-1856) where a line of British troops or ‘redcoats’ held off a Russian cavalry - forming a “thin red line”.
In the 1900s, when the US Army marched into battle in their blue uniforms, they formed a blue line thus starting the history of the “thin blue line” in the United States. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s that this particular symbol became associated with law enforcement. It was adopted to represent the courage and sacrifice of law enforcement officers while performing their duties as guardians of the people.
Since then, the thin blue line came to represent all law enforcement personnel in the same way the red cross represents all medical personnel.
Today, many members of law enforcement fly the thin blue line flag as a show of pride in their chosen profession. Their supporters also display the blue line emblem as a symbol of support for and solidarity with police officers.
Eagle Six Gear’s Thin Blue Line Apparel
We at Eagle Six Gear understand the toll it takes to perform one’s sworn duty. Law enforcing is a heavy task which demands a lot of sacrifice and attracts much scrutiny. When we created our thin blue line apparel, we only had one goal in mind: that is to encourage as many people as possible to openly show their support for our brothers and sisters in blue. After all, a simple show of support is often enough to lend strength and encouragement to those who courageously stand between good and evil.
Police Flag Hats
Our thin blue line Flexfit caps are embroidered by veterans here in Colorado Springs.
The carefully embroidered design depicts Old Glory in black or white with the vivid blue line running through one of the stripes.
The bright blue color of the line which is also a stark contrast against the black hat is a powerful reminder of the steadfast dedication of our police officers in their job at whatever cost.
Back the Blue T-shirts
All our t-shirts are designed and shipped in the USA. We made sure to incorporate not just the thin blue line and flag in the graphics, but also meaningful words of support and encouragement for our police officers. Whether you are supporting members of our law enforcement as a family member, a friend, a patriot, or a fellow personnel, there is a suitable design for you.
Wearing LEO apparel is one of the most effective ways to spread awareness for police support. Our designs are eye-catching and sure conversation starters. In order to understand a cause, there needs to be a conversation about it. Donning a police flag hat or tee may be a simple gesture, but the discussion it encourages can help broaden people’s insights about law enforcement and help them understand that our brothers and sisters in blue also deserve honor and respect.
