Tipstaff

The Tipstaff is an officer of a court or, in some countries, a law clerk to a judge. The duties of the position vary from country to country. It is also the name of the rod of authority of such a person or police officer. The emblem of two crossed tipstaffs (tipstaves) is used to denote the rank of assistant chief constable or commander in the UK police service.

The office of the Tipstaff is thought to have been created in the 14th century. One of the earliest records of the Tipstaff was mentioned in 1570: "The Knight Marshall with all hys tippe staues". It is a position of both law enforcement and ceremonial duties.

An earlier mention of tipstaff is in 1555 when the Rev'd Dr Rowland Taylor was burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious views that were contrary to those of the Archbishop of Canterbury Cranmer and Lord Chancellor Gardiner. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs it states that Dr Taylor would have spoken to the people but as soon as he opened his mouth the yeoman of the guard thrust a tipstaff into his mouth, and would in no wise permit him to speak. This is also quoted in the book Five English Reformers by J. C. Ryle

The name originates from the early law enforcement officers who would apprehend a person intended for arrest by enforcing their duty, if necessary, with a tipped staff or stave. The staff was made of wood or metal or both, topped with a crown. The crown, which unscrewed, could be removed to reveal inside the hollow staff a warrant appointing the holder to his position of authority. Some staffs were definitely a means of protection and this is where the present day policeman's baton originates.

Examples remain at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Metropolitan Police museum in London and vary depending on the type and rank of officer. These tipstaves were first carried in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. When detectives (in plain clothes) were first authorised the tipstaves issued to plain clothes officers from 1867 were re-issued in 1870 engraved "Metropolitan Police officer in plain clothes".

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Wikipedia