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Police whistle of a conical design. Nickel plated brass. With a chain attached to a loop at the end, and a hook at the other end of the chain. Whistle engraved with the letters: M.C. and marked with the number 9 on the reverse.

Formerly part of Gwent Police Museum collection

Some police forces used whistles as early as 1829, but up until the 1880s, police still also used hand rattles. Both rattles and whistles were used to call for back-up in areas where neighbourhood beats overlapped. Police whistles fell into disuse in many countries in 1969, when early hand-held radios were brought into service. With the rise of the motor car, the whistle was no longer usefully audible in urban areas. The whistle is still used by some police forces today, and engraved ceremonial versions are sometimes presented to police officers upon occasions such as their retirement.