Police band (music)

The NYPD Police Band in 2008.
The New Orleans Police band pictured in about 1928.

A police band is a military-style band operated or sponsored by a police force.

Role and purpose

Police bands provide ceremonial support for civic events, and perform at police observances such as funerals and police academy graduations.[1]

History

The earliest instance of a police band was the Glasgow Police Pipe Band, originally called the Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band, which was formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1883, and was soon followed by a similar organization formed in Edinburgh.[2][3] The first-organized police band in Australia was that of the Grayville Police Band, which was established in 1884.[4] Thirteen years later, in 1897, the Milwaukee Police Band became the first such ensemble to be formed in the United States.[5]

Police bands in much of the English-speaking world have often taken the form of pipe bands, owing to a history of organizational emulation of the earliest police bands formed in Scotland.[2] In the United States, bagpipes have "become the adopted instrument of the law enforcement community".[6]

Festivals and events

In 1994 the first World Police Band Concert was organized in Tokyo, Japan.[7] As of 2016, 21 annual editions of the event had been held, which includes a public parade and indoor concert by invited bands.[7]

The International Festival of Police Orchestras and Choirs ("FESTPOL") has been held in Prague, Czech Republic since 2004 and features police bands from a number of nations.[8] It is sponsored by the Band of the Castle Guards and the Police of the Czech Republic.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Reimer, Mark. "World Police Bands: Globalization through Music" (PDF). Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Annual Convention of the Global Awareness Society International. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Walker, Erin (2015). The Scottish Pipe Band in North America: Tradition, Transformation, and Transnational Identity. University of Kentucky. p. 2.
  3. ↑ "Makers need $ for pipe band film". Pipes Drums. June 4, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  4. ↑ Dennis, Simone (2007). Police Beat. Cambria Press. p. 16. ISBN 1621968510.
  5. ↑ McElreath, David (2013). Introduction to Law Enforcement. CRC Press. p. 266. ISBN 1466556234.
  6. ↑ VanBrederode, James (January 1, 2010). "Police Practice: The Anatomy of a Police Pipe Band". Law Enforcement Bulletin. FBI. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "World Police Band Concert draws 60,000 spectators in Tokyo". The Mainichi. October 11, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "FESTPOL". bohemiafestival.com. Bohemia Festival. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
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