Lot 136

PHILADELPHIA POLICE BADGE LOT IDENTIFIED 1920's

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PHILADELPHIA POLICE BADGE LOT IDENTIFIED 1920's

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $500

(0 Bids)

by Milestone Auctions
August 1, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
38198 Willoughby Parkway
Willoughby, OH, US 44094

Early lot of Philadelphia Police Badges and photos of William Adams to include Cap and Police Badges as a Patrolman and a Sergeant for a total of 8 badges as well of him wearing them and a Baby Album showing him and his family with inscriptions. Excellent. He served from the teens to the 1930's The Philadelphia Police Department in the 1920s was defined by rampant corruption, the violent enforcement of Prohibition, and severe racial tension. Massive bootlegging rings bribed hundreds of officers, leading to federal interventions and heavy militarization of the force to combat organized crime.Prohibition and CorruptionWidespread Playoffs: A major grand jury investigation revealed that hundreds of officers and 24 high-ranking officials were on the payroll of local bootleggers, protecting illegal taverns and speakeasies.The "Fighting Quaker": Due to rampant local corruption, the federal government appointed U.S. Marine Corps General Smedley Butler as Director of Public Safety in 1924. Butler took an aggressive, militaristic approach to liquor enforcement and corruption, but was ultimately forced out in 1926 after clashing with the mayor.The "Motor Bandit Patrol "Elite Unit: In response to organized crime and bootleggers, the department centralized its motorcycle officers into an elite, 400-man "Motor Bandit Patrol".Heavily Armed: Officers in this unit patrolled on Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles and were equipped with Thompson submachine guns to hunt down violent felons and rum-runners.Civil Rights and BrutalityRacial Discrimination: The 1920s saw rising police brutality and unlawful arrests heavily targeting the Black community.Official Studies: A 1924 city study into race and crime confirmed that arrests disproportionately and unfairly affected Black Philadelphians

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $999 $25
$1,000 $1,999 $50
$2,000 $4,999 $100
$5,000 $9,999 $250
$10,000 $24,999 $500
$25,000 $49,999 $1,000
$50,000 $99,999 $2,500
$100,000 + $5,000