Do police officers wear dog tags?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on January 17, 2026
Although police are not issued dog tags as part of their uniform, they are popular for showing pride and comradery amongst partners and colleagues serving in the same precinct or special units. Ideal for showing rank, badge number, specialization, or emergency info.
Are dog tags still used?
But despite these advancements, dog tags are still issued to service members today. They're a reminder of America's efforts to honor all those who have served — especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.Do soldiers keep their dog tags?
There's no specific protocol for what happens to dog tags after leaving the service, whether by discharge or death. Former service members do not have to return them to the military, but they also can choose whether or not to keep them. For the ones of fallen soldiers, there may or may not be a choice in what happens.Why are there 2 dog tags on a chain?
According to the Defense Department, in July 1916, the U.S. Army amended its initial order and required a second disc. Why two dog tags? The first tag was to remain with the body, while the second was for burial service record keeping.Can you wear a cross on your dog tags?
“Recent action by the Department of Defense prohibits companies holding lawful trademark licenses for military emblems from producing dog tags that feature religious insignia, such as a Bible verse or a cross. This is unacceptable.”What are dog tags
What do notched dog tags mean?
Known as the “locating notch” in military manuals, the notch helped medical personnel properly seat the dog tag into the imprinter. The Model 70 allowed medical or mortuary affairs personnel to transfer a soldier's personal information on the dog tag and imprint it directly onto medical documents.Do veterans wear their dog tags?
Generally, each soldier is allotted two dog tags. One of them is worn at the neck as a chain and the other is kept inside the shoes of the soldier. These dog tags are made up of T304 stainless steel.What does T43 mean on dog tag?
Tetanus DatesThe dates on line 2 of the styles indicate the tetanus immunization, and the tetanus toxoid injection dates. These would most often be 1 year apart, and preceded by a T for the first date (i.e. T43 44).