The original Sam Browne belts were made for military use prior to WW1. Various manufacturers made their products differently. The more common variations incorporated D-rings mounted into the belt on the left side where a sword or saber would be carried. Some makers provided separate belt-mounted carriers with D-rings for the shoulder strap, and these could be positioned at either side.

Police departments, and more frequently individual officers, purchased their gear from various sources. Many of those sources were companies also engaged in manufacturing military gear, and between the world wars there was a lot of government surplus equipment sold off (just like after WW2, after Korea, after Vietnam, etc). Police departments were not known for large budgets, and police officer pay was not overly high back in the day, so lots of military surplus equipment was purchased for law enforcement use.

Well into the 1970's I saw Sam Browne belts with the built-in D-rings in police supply catalogs, and I saw them in use by individual officers, many of whom simply cut the D-rings off. During that time period my department paid each officer $240 per year as a uniform allowance and we purchased all of our own equipment. A good S&W revolver was between $80 and $130 police purchase order price. Handcuffs were about $20. New Sam Browne belts were about $30 to $40 (variations in linings, stitching, etc). Wool uniform trousers were about $30, shirts about $25. Uniform caps about $25. Winter uniform coat was about $50. The uniform allowance never went very far, and the dry cleaning bills could be budget-busters. Credit cards were still a fairly new innovation, and most cops couldn't have qualified for much of a credit limit, so the police supply stores offered individual charge accounts with monthly payment plans. Some companies employed sales representatives who went out to police and sheriff's departments, took orders, measurements for uniform fitting, etc (probably also collecting past due accounts as well). I remember years of writing out a monthly check to the uniform supply house along with my house payment and utility bills, hoping there would be enough left over for gas money and lunch money.

Just about all of us had second jobs, or some kind of small business on the side to help make ends meet. That is when I started making holsters and accessories. I did simple pancake holsters for about $6 or $8 and uniform duty holsters for $15 or so, back in the early 1970's.

Sorry for the thread drift. Just reminiscing I guess.