Police departments.. and Pipe bands???

Question

I was on youtube looking up pipe bands for the first time... and then i noticed that a lot of the pipe bands have " 'police' pipe band"... why the "police" part?? I am obviously totally ignorant about the whole pipe band thing.. but what's it mean? ..

Answer 1

many police departments (atleast in the northeast of the USA) have pipe bands that are used in celebrations and public ceremonies (funerals, etc......), this is due in part to the fact that many of the police officers in the port cities on the east coast had a high concentration of Irish/Scottish/Welsh officers on the job.......the tradition has continued

Answer 2

i think cause alot of cops in boston are irish and hold contests