Conservation Officer Service

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CONSERVATION OFFICER SERVICE

Official blazon

Arms: Azure within an orle Argent an inescutcheon of the Arms of the Province of British Columbia (Argent three bars wavy Azure issuant from the base over all a demi sun in splendour Or a chief of the Royal Union Flag charged in the centre with an antique crown Or).
Crest: A demi Kermode bear (Ursus americanus Kermodie) holding in the dexter paw a sprig of Western red cedar proper.
Supporters: Two bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) Argent attired and unguled Or standing on a rock proper.
Motto: INTEGRITY • SERVICE • PROTECTION

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on February 20, 2004.

The use of the provincial arms, in the centre of the shield, indicates that the Conservation Officer Service is a provincial agency. The blue is a colour of the Service, and is often associated with law enforcement. The white band, or orle, is a mark of protection, and it refers to the Conservation Officer Service (C.O.S.)’s mandate to protect the province’s environment.

The bear is a traditional symbol of protection as the animal is well-known for protecting its young. Here it appears as the rare and beautiful Kermode bear found in the interior of British Columbia. It thus alludes to the C.O.S.’s role in protecting the province’s natural heritage for future generations. The cedar is the province’s official tree.

The bighorn sheep is one of the supporters of the arms of British Columbia. It alludes to the tenacity and determination of the Conservation Officer Service. The rocky compartment refers to the mountains that are an outstanding feature of British Columbia’s geography.