Historical clue formulations

• First-rate — 2025-07-11
• Top-shelf, say — 2025-05-31
• Best of the best — 2024-10-02
• Highest-quality — 2024-09-16
• Second to none — 2023-10-02
• Of the utmost quality — 2020-12-27
• Descriptor for a police force — 2019-06-08
• Of the highest quality — 2016-09-12
• Crème de la crème — 2014-02-09
• N.Y.P.D. descriptor — 2011-01-01
• Pick of the litter — 2007-06-24
• Police epithet, with "the" — 2007-04-29
• N.Y.P.D. description — 2001-08-04
• Most exquisite — 2000-12-03
• Tops in quality — 1998-03-08
• Better than better — 1996-12-16