The Secret and Strange Tale of the Republic of China Police Badge Design (Dove, National Emblem, and Laurel)

While designing a new trademark for a client, the author unexpectedly discovered that an image could actually be so amusing! The original image came from the identification mark of the Republic of China police force, whose theme is a dove of peace soaring with spread wings — which is why some people also call the police “doves.” But it was precisely this dove that had us laughing hysterically late into the night.

According to the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China, the police badge has a total of three design elements, and we can understand their meanings from the explanations below:

• Dove of peace: symbolizes that police officers, in accordance with their duty, fight crime and uphold social justice, so that the nation and society, like the dove’s nature, are all peaceful. (Addendum: Britain uses a lion, the United States an eagle — the dove feels plump and a bit weak.)
• National emblem: the dove of peace bears the national emblem atop its head, symbolizing that police officers carry out law enforcement based on the authority granted by national law.
• Laurel: the dove of peace is surrounded by a laurel (shaped like rice ears), symbolizing that police work, like the reverence ancient Greek law showed to those who made great contributions to the state, carries the meaning of the highest honor and praise conferred.

Originally we were only looking for the police identification logo (Logo) seen everywhere on the island of Taiwan in order to design a new trademark for a client, intending to study their badge design carefully as a reference.

But after pasting the image into the drawing software, we unexpectedly discovered that this dove, which has long guarded the lives and safety of the people, instantly transformed into a super-meme-worthy roast squab!

The original position of the eye became a big X symbol, which had us laughing for a long time.

The author strongly suspects that whoever designed the police badge back then must also have been staying up late, hungry, while completing the design.

Republic of China Police Badge Design

Note: The above content is unrelated to any actual persons or events. Any resemblance in design concept is purely coincidental.