Police Mottos and Team Names for Every Squad, Unit, and Academy Class

A squad name or class motto ends up in more places than people expect: the back of a PT shirt, an embroidered patch, a challenge coin, a softball jersey for the charity game. It has to sound right to officers and read right to the public.

This guide starts with real department mottos and what they mean, then gives Latin options with translations, academy class mottos, unit names by assignment, funny names for off-duty events, and the approval questions to settle before anything gets printed.

By the RELYmedia editorial team · Updated November 2, 2026

Real Police Department Mottos and Where They Come From

The best-known police mottos are short, plain promises. Three that are worth knowing before you write your own:

• “To Protect and to Serve” is the motto of the Los Angeles Police Department. It began as the winning entry in a 1955 police academy motto contest and was later adopted for the whole department. The LAPD tells the story on its motto page.
• “Fidelis ad Mortem” (Faithful unto Death) is the NYPD motto, as the Police Commissioner stated at the department's Police Memorial Wall ceremony. It is used most often when the department honors fallen officers.
• “Maintiens le droit” is the motto of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The RCMP translates it as “maintain the right” or “uphold the right” on its badge and motto page.

Notice what they have in common: four words or fewer, no slang, and a promise to the public rather than a boast. That is a good test for any unit motto. Department mottos belong to the department, so use them as models, not as text for an unofficial shirt.

Latin Police Mottos With Translations

Latin reads as formal and timeless, which is why it shows up on patches and challenge coins. Keep it short and print the translation underneath if the audience is the public.

Have a Latin teacher or a dictionary check any phrase you build yourself. A wrong word ending on 200 embroidered patches is an expensive typo.

Police Academy Class Mottos

A class motto gets shouted during PT, printed on the class shirt and read out at graduation. The ones that last are three to seven words and come from something the class went through together.

Short and Strong

Courage, Honor and Service

Light-Hearted Class Slogans

Police Team Names by Unit

A K-9 unit and a traffic unit do different work, and their names should say so. Start from the assignment, then pick the tone.

Patrol

Detectives and Investigations

K-9

Traffic

Tactical and Emergency Response

Community Policing

Funny Police Team Names for Charity Games and Off-Duty Events

Softball leagues, fun runs and charity games are where funny names belong. Police versus fire charity games are often billed as “Guns & Hoses”, which gives you an idea of the tone. Aim the joke at the job or at yourselves, never at the public you serve.

A note on thin blue line wording and imagery: some people read it as support for officers and others read it as a political statement. If a name or design uses it, check your agency's uniform and appearance policy before you order, especially for anything worn on duty or at public events.

Community and Public Safety Slogans

Slogans for community events, outreach tables and recruiting banners should speak to residents, not to other officers:

How to Choose a Name or Motto, and Get It Approved

Putting Your Motto on Polos, Shirts and Hats

Embroidery suits polos, jackets and caps that get worn for years. Screen printing suits PT shirts and event tees ordered by the dozen. Whatever you pick, send the approved artwork and spelling with your order. RELYmedia prints custom polo shirts and T-shirts for units and academy classes.

Related Guides

More name ideas: group names for friends and teams and group names for guys.