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Search for Oak Bay Police memorabilia spans the globe

Officer turns up clues in search for historic police items

Sgt. Manuel Montero is starting to fill some holes in his department’s history.

The Oak Bay officer shared his story of collecting memorabilia to preserve the story of the more than a century-old police department in the spring. He shared that story online and learned of more cop paraphernalia, specifically from Oak Bay, around the world.

A few weeks after posting, Montero received an email from a collector in Germany who sent photos of Oak Bay Police cap badges, wallet badges and other Oak Bay Police Department items.

He indicated the items have been in his collection for many years and he got them from another collector who had them for more than 60 years.

RELATED: Oak Bay cop targets police history, aims to share

After doing some research on the numbered wallet badges, Montero traced one to a member who worked in Oak Bay in the 1930s to 1950s and took leave to join the military. Montero surmises the fellow took the items with him, while fighting in the Second World War and left them behind.

Montero did purchase one cap badge from the collector, one he was specifically seeking – an early edition Mt. Baker cap badge he feels may be close to 100 years old. His collection starts where the department did and runs right through to the latest uniform changes in the department when it marked a century in 2006.

The self-professed history buff hopes to purchase more items in the future.

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c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca


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Christine van Reeuwyk

About the Author: Christine van Reeuwyk

I'm dedicated to serving the community of Oak Bay as a senior journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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