Proposed Uniforms for the Irkutsk Province Police, August 1918

All material and reconstructions are by A. Karevskiy.

On 22 August 1918, Irkutsk provincial commissar P. D. Yakovlev approached the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a proposal to establish a uniform for the police:

A uniform for the police is of exceptional importance, and yet in both cities and districts the police are uniformed randomly and, of course, extremely varied: everyone is dressed in what they have ...

A single-breasted black soldier-cut greatcoat (with a trimmed sheepskin coat for winter), a black broadcloth tunic, a black summer blouse and black broadcloth trousers are desirable uniforms for the police. Headwear (for summer and winter) can remain black field caps and papakhi.

Insignia is also required: 1) white and green braid (1.5 vershok wide) around the sleeve above the cuff and a badge on the left side of the chest (oval shape, 1.5 vershok in diameter, copper, with an inscription at the edge of the oval "Irkutsk city (or district) police", and inside: "мл. (or ст.) мил. 1 района (or участка), No. 3". Commanders of the city regions or district precincts will have "Нач. 3 района (or участков)" and a smaller badge (1 vershok in diameter). District and precinct commanders ... and police chiefs will also wear a Siberian two-color cockade ...

It is advisable to have felt boots and warm mittens: in the city for every guard and policeman going on patrol ..., and for everyone in the district police. ... It is advisable to also get leather boots through the Quartermaster ...

Equipment includes: wide (1.5 vershok) black leather belt with buckle, black revolver holster, red lanyard, black rifle strap, black leather pouch in a soldier pattern, and a whistle ...

All police must be armed with sabers as their bladed weapons. Foot police will also have revolvers, and mounted will have carbines (a supply of mounted revolvers is not necessary).

Rifles are also needed for those on foot who perform guard or escort service (moreover, it is desirable that there be enough rifles at police departments in case of need for general police weapons).

Glazkov, V. in "Uniformed randomly and, of course, extremely varied: Uniforms and insignia of the Siberian police, 1918-1919 // Staryi Tseykhgauz, No. 83", Moscow, p.43.

Proposed uniforms for city and district police officers of the Irkutsk province:
1 and 4 – heads of districts and stations, as well as chiefs of police; 2 and 3 – other ranks

Breast badges of the Irkutsk city and district police:
top – heads of districts and precincts; bottom – other ranks of districts and precincts