Police officers to wear commemorative Stanley Cup champion badges

ST. LOUIS --- For the first time in history, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department will wear a badge dedicated to a St. Louis sports team's accomplishments.
Shortly after the Blues' Game 7 victory in Boston, Sgt. Matt Karnowski and Sgt. Adam Duke teamed up with Public Information Officer Michelle Woodling to create a police badge that commemorates the Blues' first-ever Stanley Cup championship.

The limited-edition badge is the first of its kind to feature the Stanley Cup Champions logo, and officers who worked for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department during the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be allowed to wear the badge beginning Oct. 2 and throughout the entire 2019-20 hockey season.
"This badge details, illustrates and highlights a 50-year relationship between the police department and the St. Louis Blues," said Sgt. Karnowski. "I'm so excited and proud help bring this badge to our officers during this time in Blues' history."
A three-person design team worked with Smith & Warren Badges, the NHL and the Blues over the past few months to create the badge, which features the Blues' Stanley Cup Champions logo beneath the iconic Gateway Arch.

Michelle Bagwell, the St. Louis Police Foundation President and Executive Director, also played an important role in bringing the idea to life. The Police Foundation helps provide officers with protection equipment like shields, dogs and technical gear.
"The badge falls outside of our mission, but it was something we felt we had to do," Bagwell said. "I was proud to be a part of it."
Bagwell reached out to police and Blues supporters to ensure the badge did not cost the St. Louis taxpayers a cent.
"Donors are the heart and soul of the police department," Sgt. Duke said. "Without them, none of this would have been possible."
The badge isn't limited only to human police officers. The department's K-9 unit will also have 13 special-edition badges for its officers, which will feature the dog's name instead of a badge number.
"This badge is something that will be a huge morale booster for our office and something over 90 percent of officers wanted to be a part of," said Officer Woodling. "It's something that they can keep forever."
Support the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and other first responders during the First Responders Night on March 15 at Enterprise Center when the Blues meet the Ottawa Senators. Each theme ticket purchased will receive an exclusive First Responders item and $5 from each ticket will go to local charities, including Backstoppers and Lifesaving Foundation. Buy online at stlouisblues.com/theme.