The Thin Blue Line (emblem)

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The "Thin Blue Line" symbol

The Thin Blue Line is a controversial symbol that Law Enforcement Officers in the United States use to identify other officers, their spouses and other family members.

Proponents of the symbol claim that the blue strip between two larger blocks of black symbolically represents the officers place in the world, separating the "good" from the "bad". The colors also carry a dual meaning, with the black serving as a reminder of fallen officers and the blue, a color long associated with law enforcement, representing the camaraderie of those still standing.

1 Usage
2 Variations
3 Controversy
4 References

[edit] Usage

The Thin Blue Line emblem is often seen on vehicles -- near the rear license plate or rear window -- with the assumption that the operator or owner is either an active or retired Law Enforcement Officer, or the relative of same. Proponents state that the identifier is for notifiying other uniformed officers that the personnel inside the vehicle may be law enforcement and possibly armed.

[edit] Variations

After the popularity of the Thin Blue Line emblem for Law Enforcement came a number of other "thin lines".^[1]

Thin Red Line - Firefighters
Thin Silver Line - Corrections officers
Thin Green Line - Federal, Military, Park rangers
Thin White Line - Emergency Medical Services. The thin white line differs from other thin lines in that the background is blue instead of black, with a white line crossing horizontally through the middle.

There is a website, http://thethingreenline.com, which proports the green version to represent going green and protecting the environment.

There is also a yellow version for troop support, but it is not referred to as "Thin Yellow Line". the thin blue line was intended to identify officers to officers, let them know the officer in the vehicle was law enforcement and may have a gun or weapon onboard his or her vehicle.

[edit] Controversy

The display of Thin Blue Line emblems as a way of gaining favoritism from law enforcement officers has become an issue across the United States. Many people have alleged that non-law enforcement officials display the emblem not to show solidarity, but to get immunity from traffic tickets. This general perception has led to the widespread duplication and dissemination of the emblem by members of the public who are unaffiliated with law enforcement officers for the sole purpose of securing to themselves its many perceived benefits. ^[2] Purveyors of "officially authorized" emblems have responded by altering its design and restricting their sale to people giving their department phone number and badge number.^[3]