SWAMPSCOTT — The Police Department has unveiled a new badge that officers are wearing in honor of Black History Month and Martin Luther King Jr.’s lasting impact.
Created by Swampscott High School student A.J. Donald, the badge features a vibrant image of Martin Luther King Jr., along with the date of the very first Juneteenth, June 19, 1865, and Juneteenth’s colors, red, green and yellow.
Captain Joe Kable sat down on Wednesday afternoon to explain the background of the new patch and its significance in today’s world. “It has become an emerging trend to have patches that honor certain things,” Kable said. He cited previous patches the department has worn, like the Autism Awareness patch.
He continued, saying, “The patch is really more of a message in a lot of ways. It shows the community that we hear you, and we see you. It’s a message of inclusiveness to the community.”
“There were, and still are, reasons for an entire community to feel marginalized, and we hope it shows that we understand Black History, and we just want to visibly show that and express it. It’s got a broad context,” Kable explained.
He reflected on how the patch first came about. “Our School Resource Officer Bryan Wilson met with some kids from the METCO (Metropolitan Council For Educational Opportunity) program. There was an art club, and he said ‘This is what we’d like to do, and we’d like you to give us your perspective on how we can do that’,” Kable said. “That young man, A.J. Donald, came up with the patch we wear, and I just think it’s an incredible work of art.”
Kable said he hopes that the patch becomes a visible, tangible statement to the community. “It’s a statement that we understand history, we understand what’s going on, and we recognize the need to acknowledge that and let parts of our community understand they’re seen and recognized,” Kable said. “And that’s my hope.”
He emphasized that the move to wear the patch is not a step into any particular political realm, Kable said. “It’s simply an acknowledgment to the broader community around.”
According to Kable, the patch has been a big hit throughout the community since officers first started wearing it. “I must say that I have only heard absolutely positive things about the patch,” Kable said. “Everyone we’ve heard from really loves what we’re doing.”
