CORRECTIVE Services NSW is investigating after cloth patches bearing a likeness of its logo, supposedly identifying the wearer as part of the "Dubbo Court Escort Security Unit", were discovered for sale on the internet.
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A departmental spokesman said the two patches the Daily Liberal alerted it to were fake and confirmed Corrective Services NSW was "looking into this matter".
"All Corrective Services NSW staff must return their uniforms, including their patches, when their employment ceases," he said.
"They are not permitted to sell any items of uniform, including patches."
The patches were discovered on internet auction site ebay this week, offered for sale by a Vaucluse-based seller who advertised he or she was prepared to send them worldwide.
A red-trimmed patch bearing "Dubbo Court Escort Security" had reached a bid of $40 yesterday (Wednesday) while an otherwise identical blue-trimmed one had attracted a bid of $6.49.
The ebay seller had advertised other patches and badges signifying overseas and Australian-based police, military, customs and corrective services organisations.
Contained in the seller's description of the "Corrective Services NSW- Dubbo Court Escort Security"- branded items was an apparent disclaimer stating: "This item is either, historical, old or a social police item and only for a collection and as such it complies with all eBay's criteria itemised within the auction policies and guidelines, including stating this information on the listing. Sold as a genuine collectible item only".
Among items advertised for sale by other sellers were two "obsolete" Corrective Services NSW cap insignia described as "super rare" for $399.99 and $130.
A search of the Collectables section of ebay Australia also brought up numerous likenesses of the NSW Police logo bearing a striking resemblance to the official one.
While there was no suggestion the seller in question or bidders intended to engage in deception, laws were in place designed to protect against the misuse of police insignia, for example, outlined in Section 203 of the Police Act (1990).
These included that barring an exemption from the Commissioner, a person who manufactures or sells police insignia is guilty of an offence, including "any reasonable imitation of any such items or parts", and where uniform was classified as "any reasonable imitation of such a uniform, parts of a uniform or accoutrements".
