Because the
hero in my work in progress is a Texas Ranger, I’ve been dusting off my
research files to be sure I have the facts right.
The Texas
Rangers, one of the most well-known law enforcement agencies in the world, has
an on-again off-again history. First established in 1823 by Stephen F. Austin
to “act as rangers for the common defense, the Rangers were disbanded and
reformed many times over the years, mostly at the whim of whatever politician
was in power at the time. It wasn’t until 1987 that the Texas Legislature enacted
a statute that made the Texas Rangers a permanent entity of the Department of
Public Service.
Through
those years, the Rangers have worn several different styles of badges. Contrary
to legend, they didn’t start out with stars on their vests. The first Rangers
carried a Warrant of Authority, signed by The Adjutant General, that granted them
the right to enforce the law when and where they saw fit.
It wasn’t
until 1889 that the first Texas Ranger badge was created. This unofficial badge
was made from a Mexican silver dollar by the Rangers riding the southern and
western parts of the state. The five-pointed star design is thought to have
come from the unofficial seal of the state of Texas, first used in 1835.
It changed
a bit over the years:
1910 -
An
official, state-issued badge didn’t come along until 1935.
And even
that changed again in 1957:
Then, in
1962, in a move that the Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety
called “going back to the tradition steeped Mexican silver badge worn by their
predecessors during frontier days,” the department adopted their permanent
badge.
The
“wagon-wheel” design is a five-pointed star, symbolizing the “Lone Star” of
Texas, supported by an engraved wheel. The oak leaves on the left side
represent strength and the olive branch on the right signifies peace, just as
they appear on the Texas State Seal. The center of the star is reserved for the
Company designation or the rank of Sergeant or Captain or Senior Captain.
This is the
star you will see today on the uniform of every Texas Ranger, along with their
boots, revolvers and signature white cowboy hats.
If you want to know more about the
Texas Rangers, visit their website: www.texasranger.org.
There’s some fascinating stuff on that site.
