When Brittney Cottrill wakes up, gets dressed and goes to work, she’s sporting a badge that identifies her as a man.
Cottrill, an Ohio University Police officer, won’t carry around that badge anymore by the end of March, when the department swaps its outdated badge with a new design that is both gender-neutral and exclusive to the department.
“I’m not one to take offense in being called a patrolman, but I’m glad to see that it is changing,” Cottrill said. “I very much like the new badge.”
OU Police Chief Andrew Powers said the current badge officers carry, with the word “patrolman” inscribed on it, is a generic, basic design that can be found anywhere. The new badge will instead say “officer.”
“(The badges) are tarnished, no longer appear uniform and (are) not gender-neutral,” Powers said. “As we prepared to add more officers, and thus needed additional badges, we decided to … take care of the wear and lack of gender neutrality in the process.”
The process of remodeling began about two years ago. The new badge is a traditional shield design that features a rendering of Cutler Hall, which houses OU’s administrative offices, as its centerpiece. The fresh badges carry a $5,000 price tag.
“Although the new badge doesn’t really affect our day-to-day duties, a police officer’s badge is symbolic of our community, our authority and the trust placed in us by the public. As a result, our badge is something very near and dear to us,” Powers said.
Cottrill said she was excited about the badge makeover and how the word “officer” encompasses everyone in the department. She added that she believes the badge is an oath to serve the community and to keep everyone safe.
OUPD Officer Mathew Austin said the entire department had a chance to participate in the development of the new badge.
“Once a couple of different ideas were worked up, we would then get copies and be able to make suggestions,” Austin said. “I remember the chief having a badge that he put on my uniform and it looked bad from a distance, and we had a discussion about it.”
The badge presentation ceremony will be held at the Baker University Center Ballroom on March 27.
OU President Roderick McDavis and Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen Golding are expected to attend.
jl951613@ohiou.edu
This article appeared in print under the headline "Out with the old, in with the new"
