Drug Enforcement Administration employees have a history of colorful arm patches , and some of the creations seem more likely to be found in a smoke shop than on the uniform of a federal agent . Federal agencies began using arm patches to identify themselves during cross-agency work in the 1970s , though the little bits of flair eventually spawned an entire catalog of agents ' gear not officially sanctioned by the DEA . Raymond Sherrard , a retired special agent from the IRS , wrote The Encyclopedia of Federal Law Enforcement Patches to keep track of all the creative images . There are an estimated 20,000 federal patches in existence today , according to the Washington Post . But the field of crime where DEA agents worked , drugs , spawned some of the most interesting , including scores of swatches with dragons , grim reapers , a scorpion wearing a surveillance headset and slogans such as 'you make it , we 'll take it . ' The patches bear a striking resemblance to armed forces patches , and Larry Kirk , a police chief in Old Monroe , Missouri , said they were a 'reflection of these units taking on paramilitary ideas . ' Former agents say that the DEA 's culture has changed since the 1990s , and has become much more politically correct since the days when the patches were swapped around like business cards . Collector Nathan Zubke told Daily Mail Online that only ten copies of certain patches were originally made , as they were only for small groups of agents . He said reproductions are often sold on eBay , though collectors are on the look out for the real pieces of agency gear , which can fetch hundreds of dollars . Employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration made unofficial patches with bizarre designs such as skeletons in tuxedos . Grim reapers are a popularly featured image on some patches , believed to be among around 20,000 federal patches in existence . The DEA 's patches became known for their particular style , which often incorporated pictures of drug paraphernalia such as syringes . The use of federal patches first began in the 1970s , when different agencies began working together on the same projects . The patches often included jokes about the substances that DEA agents were tasked with helping control . Patches from certain raids and missions were reportedly swapped around like business cards by employees . The patches were generally made by employees rather than the DEA itself , which did not sanction the gear . Different missions , such as the Unified Caribbean On-Line Regional Network , often sport different patches with relevant imagery . Former agents say that the DEA has become more politically correct after a change of culture in the 1990s . Some of the patches , such as those with skulls , bear a resemblance to armed forces patches , which police chief Larry Kirk attributed to 'paramilitary ideas ' among agents . Collector Nathan Zubke said that only ten copies of certain patches were originally made for their relevant units .
Federal agencies including the DEA began using patches in the 1970s . There are only ten estimated federal patches , though DEA 's are most colorful . Patches feature jokes about drugs and government surveillance . Former agents say that the forces have become more politically correct .