Sillitoe tartan

The Sillitoe Tartan is the name given to the distinctive black and white chequered pattern which was originally associated with the police in Scotland, but which later spread to Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of the United Kingdom, as well as to some other places such as Chicago. Based on the diced bands seen on the Glengarries that are worn by several Scottish regiments, the pattern was first adopted for police use in 1932 by Sir Percy Sillitoe, Chief Constable of the City of Glasgow Police.^[1]

Sillitoe Tartan may be composed of several different colours and number of rows depending on local custom, but when incorporated into uniforms or vehicle livery serves to uniquely identify emergency services personnel to the public.

Usage by country

United Kingdom

The Sillitoe tartan was an exclusively Scottish phenomenon until a blue and white variety was introduced in Australia in 1961. From 1972, within the United Kingdom, the original black and white Scottish version began to rapidly spread throughout England and Wales and it is now used by all police forces in Great Britain. Most forces use black and white chequered hat bands, however the City of London Police is unique in that it uses distinctive red and white chequers. Blue and white chequers are also associated with the police, and may be used on vehicles and signage.

Subsequent to the launching of Battenburg markings on police vehicles in the 1980's, the police introduced retro-reflective versions of the Sillitoe tartan markings to their uniforms, usually in blue and white, rather than the blue and yellow used on vehicles.

Australia

Blue and white chequers have become the ubiquitous symbol of policing in Australia. The pattern was introduced into the country by the Commissioner of the South Australia Police in 1961, following a fact-finding tour of Glasgow in 1960.^[2] The police forces of the remaining states and territories progressively adopted the pattern during the 1970s.^[2]

While blue and white chequers denotes police across Australia (with the notable exception of the Australian Federal Police, which uses black and white chequers), other coloured chequered patterns may be used to denote other emergency services and particular usage varies from state to state. For example, in New South Wales (NSW) the Ambulance Service uses red and white chequers on ambulances and paramedic's uniforms, while the State Emergency Service uses orange and white Sillitoe Tartan. St. John Ambulance uses a white and green pattern on their vehicles and operational uniforms in both South Australia and Victoria.

National patterns
	State/Territory Police	Blue / White
	Australian Federal Police	Black / White
	State/Territory Emergency Service	Orange / White

State patterns
	NSW: Ambulance Service Northern Territory: Fire and Rescue Service Victoria: Country Fire Authority	Red / White
	NSW: Patient Transport Service NSW: Volunteer Rescue Association South Australia and Victoria: St. John Ambulance	Green / White
	South Australia: Metropolitan Fire Service	Red / Navy
	South Australia: Country Fire Service	Red / Orange
	NSW: Corrective Services	Yellow / Navy
	South Australia: Police - Protective Security Services	Yellow / Navy
	South Australia: Country Fire Service	Yellow / Red

New Zealand Police

General law enforcement in New Zealand is the responsibility of the country's national police service. The New Zealand Police wear a blue uniform, similar in colour to those found in Australia, and share the same three-row Sillitoe Tartan of blue and white. The patern is also borne across stab vests and elsewhere.

Canada

Use of the Sillitoe Tartan is rare in Canada and is usually limited to auxiliary police services. For example, the Toronto Police Auxiliary wear a red and black chequered band on their caps.

United States

Only a few police forces in the United States have adopted the chequered pattern: the Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Police, Brookfield (Illinois) Police, Forest Park (Illinois) Police, Evergreen Park (Illinois) Police, and the Pittsburgh Police. The American departments use a two-row pattern, vice the three-row pattern common in Europe and Australasia. Many other departments in the United States and Canada, while lacking the tartan on their cap bands, have begun using two-row reflective versions as part of the design on high-visibility outer garments and vests.

Chicago Police Department

Orlando Wilson, the then Superintendent of Police, introduced the chequered pattern to his force after a visit to Australia in the mid-1970s.^[1] Chicago's pattern is dark blue and silver for patrolmen and detectives, and dark blue and gold for sergeants and higher ranks. The band is around not only the department's service caps, but winter knit caps, summer baseball-style caps, the campaign hats and horse bridles of the mounted unit, bicycle helmets, and dog collars as well; it is not worn on the fur trim winter hat nor the light blue riot/motorcycle helmets. The Chicago Police also use the pattern on some signage, graphics, and architectural detail on newer police stations.

Brookfield, Forest Park, and Evergreen Park police departments

The police of Brookfield, Forest Park, and Evergreen Park follow the same color protocols as nearby Chicago, although Evergreen Park uses black vice dark blue, in keeping with their uniforms.

Cook County Sheriff's Police

The Cook County Sheriff's Police[1] use a brown and gold pattern, in keeping with their uniform colors.

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

The Pittsburgh Police use a black and gold pattern, in keeping with their uniform colours. Pittsburgh's use of the tartan is in keeping with the blue and white chequerboard band across the city's coat of arms and flag, and the prominence of black and gold in the city's arms, flag, and sports teams' uniforms, inter alia.

Gallery

Police officers with Sillitoe Tartan on their jackets, rather than headwear.
New South Wales Police highway patrol vehicle with blue and white chequers.
Police station in New South Wales with chequered signage.
Police officer in New Zealand with chequered band on hat and stab vest.
Chicago Police officers with Sillitoe Tartan hat bands and horse bridle.
Rapid response motorbike of the NSW Ambulance Service with red/white chequers.

Rapid response motorbike of the NSW Ambulance Service with red/white chequers.
NSW State Emergency Service vehicles with orange and white chequers.