page_title: Sillitoe tartan
section_title: Australia
hierarchical_section_title: Sillitoe tartan / Usage by country / Australia
caption_attribution_description: English: Victoria Police 2014 Holden VF Commodore Evoke Română: 2014 Holden Commodore VF Evoke apartinand Politiei din Victoria Vehicle registration enquiry resultsJurisdictionVictoriaRegistrationMCV830Chassis code6G1FA5E58EL978613Engine codeLFW140910152Compliance date2014-04Year of manufacture2014
context_page_description: Sillitoe tartan is the nickname given to the distinctive black and white chequered pattern correctly known as dicing, which was originally associated with the police in Scotland, but which later spread to widespread use overseas, notably in Australia, New Zealand, the rest of the United Kingdom, and Chicago as well as Pittsburgh in the United States. Elsewhere it is rare, such as in parts of Canada where it is limited to the auxiliary police services.
  Based on the diced bands seen on the Glengarries that are worn by several Scottish regiments of the British Army, the pattern was first adopted for police use in 1932 by Sir Percy Sillitoe, Chief Constable of the City of Glasgow Police.
  Sillitoe tartan may be composed of several different colours and number of rows depending on local custom, but when incorporated into uniforms, or vehicle livery, serves to uniquely identify emergency services personnel to the public.
  Sillitoe is also prominently seen in ska subculture.
context_section_description: Blue and white chequers have become the ubiquitous symbol of policing in Australia. The pattern was introduced into Australia by the Commissioner of the South Australia Police in 1961, following a fact-finding tour of Glasgow in 1960. The police forces of the remaining states and territories progressively adopted the pattern during the 1970s until it was displayed on all Australian police uniforms except that of the Australian Federal Police, who use a black and white Sillitoe tartan on their cap bands.
  The Australasian Centre for Policing Research (ACPR) approved a national specification for police vehicle markings in 1995 which saw all vehicles marked with a chequer band stripe running the full length of the vehicle. This was adopted by all states with the exception of New South Wales which eventually adopted the national standard in 2002.
  Other coloured chequered patterns may be used to denote other emergency services and particular usage varies from state to state. For example, in New South Wales the Ambulance Service uses red and white chequers on ambulances and paramedic's uniforms, while the State Emergency Service uses orange and white Sillitoe tartan. St. John Ambulance uses a white and green pattern on their vehicles and operational uniforms in both South Australia and Victoria. In New South Wales the Roads & Maritime Services Traffic Emergency Patrol have adopted a yellow and purple Sillitoe tartan whereas the Victorian counterpart, VicRoads have adopted a green and white variant.
  General law enforcement in New Zealand is the responsibility of the country's national police service.  The New Zealand Police wear a blue uniform, similar in colour to those found in Australia, and share the same three-row Sillitoe tartan of blue and white.  The pattern is also borne across stab vests and elsewhere. Unlike their Australian counterparts, New Zealand police vehicles do not display Sillitoe tartan markings, but instead are usually marked with Battenberg markings.
caption: Victoria Police vehicle with Sillitoe tartan markings
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