TROY — The Troy Police Department is changing its shoulder patch.

The old shoulder patch, adopted by the Troy Police Department in 1973, was a generic patch used by departments throughout the Country, with only slight variations. According to a Troy Police Department Facebook post, the new shoulder patch shows the Miami County Courthouse and a WACO aircraft silhouetted against the flag of the State of Ohio.

The Miami County Courthouse, located in Troy, was built in 1885. WACO aircrafts were once manufactured in Troy. The WACO Aircraft Company was once the largest manufacturer of civil aircraft in the U.S. in the late 1920s and early 1930s and the largest employer in Miami County. Today, the WACO Historical Society operates a Museum and WACO Field in Troy where they offer aviation and STEM education programs.

Chief McKinney would like to thank the designer, Reagan Hull, of Tippecanoe High School, and her instructor, Mrs. Lauren Roeth, and the rest of the class at Miami Valley Career Technology Center Graphic Commercial Art program for the time and effort that they put into the other designs. The class developed 16 different designs and Troy officers voted for their favorite. McKinney would also like to thank Captain Ryan Ormberg for the initiative he took and time he put in coordinating this project.

“I am excited to join with our Troy PD in celebrating this new, official shoulder patch. It was chosen by our officers, is more personal and reflects the community that they serve and protect. Kudos to all who participated in the process to bring this new design to reality,” said Troy Mayor Robin Oda.