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Police Boat, Off Pier 45
San Francisco's informal police force went from six men before the Gold Rush in 1848 to 230 men by July of 1849, and still was overwhelmed by the 25,000 new residents. If you look closely at the SFPD boat above you'll see the department's unusual seven-pointed star which is also reflected on the policemen's badges. When the offical force was organized in the 1850s the man in charge of designing the police badges was an astronomer. He brought his vocation to the design, deciding that the seven points represented Praising God, Glory, Honor, Virtue, Divinity, Prudence, and Fortitude. In addition, a wreath belt buckle became part of the official uniform, honoring the Greek Goddess Athena and symbolizing the power of valor. Even back then the city had designers that knew how to talk their way to a sale.
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