1866 Patent hardwood collapsible watchman’s rattle, made in the USA. This particular American rattle was patented in 1866 – a year after the US Civil War Ended. It was either used by a US police force or by watchmen. It features a collapsible handle for ease of carry, and is constructed of hardwood with several brass components for greater strength and durability.

c.1870-80 J. Burk Patent brass watch-clock, likely made in, or shipped to, France. It has a paper recording strip, which was the original type of recording method patented by Burk.

1873 wood-engraved print from the Illustrated London News of a night watchman in Madrid. The depicted night watchman carries a sort of spear, a lamp, and a large number of keys. He wears smart but practical clothing, including a peaked cap.

c.1880 J.E. Buerk brass watch-clock. This version uses a cardboard recording disk instead of a strip, which made it easier to read and change the disk for a new one.

c.1885 J. Burk Original brass watch-clock, made by special order for J. H. Steward Ltd of London (manufacturer of military instruments). This example has two layers of protection against accessing the paper recording strip: a padlock-protected hasp, followed by a built-in 4-lever lock. This enables the paper strip to be accessed, checked and changed by the supervisor.

c.1900s Corps of Commissionaires brass cap badge. This was the first (and remains the oldest) security services company in the world, operating today as Corps Security (UK) Limited.

c.1920 cast iron watch-clock station, made by Chicago Watchman’s Clock Company of Chicago, USA. The housing is constructed of durable cast iron, with the key securely fastened to a corrosion-resistant brass chain. The station has two holes in the rear so that it can be securely fixed to a wall, and a slot underneath to drain rainwater. As iron is prone to rust, watch-clock stations such as this one were coated with a weather-resistant paint, and sometimes numbered for easy identification.

c.1924 Yale Electric Corporation nickel and brass ‘searchlight’ torch, developed by Yale for use by security officers, emergency service personnel and other ‘outdoor’ professions.

1926 photograph of a security courier driving a ‘armored steel bank car’ operated by the Second National Bank to securely transport cash in the United States.

c.1940s Brink’s Incorporated security courier cap badge, made by Meyers & Wenthe in Chicago, USA.

c.1940s Dent & Co. ‘Recording Clock’ brass watch-clock, made in London, England.

c.1960s press photograph of a simulated Security Express Limited robbery. It shows the security crew following anti-ambush drills in front of their Commer Walk-Thru security van.

c.1960s Pinkerton security officer peaked cap badge.

c.1960 print advertisement for the William J. Burns International Detective Agency Inc., demonstrating the value a well-trained security officer can bring to an organisation.

1960s Securicor security courier cap badge with ‘Vigilant and Valiant’, made in England.

c.1960s Securitas AG security officer cap, made by Eugen Kressmann AG in Bern, Switzerland.

c.1970s roll-operated watch-clock, made in Switzerland. This watch-clock was previously operated by Wache AG, a Zurich-based security services company founded in 1928.

c.1980s Wells Fargo armed security officer brass badge.

c.1981 J. Hudson & Co. patented whistle made in Birmingham, England. This particular whistle was issued to Royal Military Police personnel deployed to Northern Ireland during the Troubles. J. Hudson & Co. is perhaps the most famous whistle-maker, and having been founded in c.1870, is the oldest company in this field still operating today.

c.1985 Protectas SA security officer peaked cap, made in Bern, Switzerland. This headwear was standard issue to the company’s security officers from the late 1970s and 1980s. The cap was made by Swiss company E. Kressmann AG, a respected manufacturer of uniforms, established in 1910, to Securitas AG, Protectas SA, the Swiss military, and the Swiss national railways, amongst other institutions in Switzerland.

c.1990 Instructions for security officers on recognising and responding to mail bombs – a common threat to governments and large corporations during the 1980s.

c.1990 Allen under-vehicle inspection mirror (UVIM) with Exide weather-resistant torch, made in England. This UVIM features a convex mirror for wide-angle viewing, a lightweight aluminium telescopic pole for easy extension under vehicles, and a torch to light up darkened areas. It was used to routinely check official vehicles before transporting VIPs, as well as all vehicles entering the secure perimeter of a secure facility, to reduce the risk of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

c.2005 Securitas Security Services USA security officer badge. “Integrity, Vigilance, Helpfulness”.

c.2008 ESP telescopic friction-lock baton, made of steel and rubber. Batons are commonly used by security and close protection officers in many countries, primarily for self-defence, and can be carried overly or covertly.

c.2010 handheld LED security torch.

c.2015 Clip-on ties made for front-line security officers. Unlike traditional ties, clip-on ties do not present the risk of strangulation should the security officer be assaulted and the tie pulled. Additionally, they are more comfortable and easily removable, making them more practical and safer for operational security use.

c.2020 VestGuard UK KR1 SP1 LFX knife and spike resistant covert body armour insert. Typically, soft body armour has inserts for the front and rear of the armour holder, for interchangeability, repairs and hygiene. This body armour meets the UK Home Office Body Armour Standard 2017, developed to improve standards of protection for front-line officers.

c.2023 PAVA incapacitant spray, as issued to security officers in some countries, for personal security.

c.2023 non-lethal riot control spent munitions. This includes a disposable CS tear gas grenade caps and munition, made by Nobel Sport Sécurité; a SIR 40x46mm less-lethal impact round spent cartridge, made by B&T AG; and 68 calibre ‘Rubberballs’ rubber bullet, made by Dynamic Sports Gear. Non-lethal munitions of this type is sometimes used by security forces to repel attackers or aggressive crowds.