About the Police Emerald Society

Tradition, Pride, Heritage.....

What is the Police Emerald Society

The Police Emerald Society of Tidewater, Virginia was founded in 1999 by a group of Norfolk Police Officers with the purpose of fostering a fraternal bond and spirit among law enforcement officers of Irish or Celtic ancestry.

The Irish have a long standing association and tradition with law enforcement in America. Most of the early police departments in larger cities were filled with Irish immigrants. Because of the nature of the job, few others wanted to work under the dangerous conditions. Yet the prospect of a steady civil service job with its benefits and pension lured thousands of Irish-Americans into law enforcement. A family tradition still seen today in many larger departments.

The Irish also brought with them their traditions. One of the most notable is the playing of bagpipes at the funeral of a fallen officer. Today this tradition continues on for all law enforcement officers regardless of their ancestry. The very first Police Emerald Society was founded within the NYPD in 1953. Today there are over 80 law enforcement emerald societies throughout the United States.

The Police Emerald Society of Tidewater is a non-political, non-sectarian, fraternal organization for law enforcement officers and their supporters. There are four levels of membership, allowing all who are interested in supporting the society and its ideals to join. To see the requirements for each level of membership, please select Membership from the menu on the left.

The Police Emerald Society of Tidewater's goals include promoting the contributions that those of Irish and Gaelic ancestry have made to the development of law enforcement in America as well as remembering and recognizing the sacrifices that all law enforcement officers make daily.