UNIFORM Practical or Smart
Should a modern Police service have a modern and practical uniform?
According to our chief constable the answer to this question is clear NO!!
We are forced to wear the cheapest most uncomfortable trousers with the cheapest cotton shirt and the worst part of all a black clip on tie.
There was talk of a new issue some time ago of Polo shirts and combat style trousers, like the dog handlers and Firearms officers were already wearing, and support groups at the time.
Then the new chief decided that he wanted us all to look the same and to look smart and put an immediate stop to this most absurd idea that practicality was more important than appearance!!
I mean after all the wearing of a black clip-on tie must fill every criminal with complete terror!!
Nice for the chief in the air conditioned office or air conditioned car with driver and no body armor, but spare a thought for the bobby on foot patrol with body armor and all the rest of the kit on.
It’s all about common sense isn’t it!
Do the public give a sh*t if we have a tie on? or if we wear comfortable and cool combat trousers?
I don’t think so!!
All they want is to see an efficient Police officer when they call 999 or if they need us for a non urgent matter.
As for combat trousers, I remember someone mentioning that the health and safety brigade were going on about they are not safe because we may fall on an object that was in one of the leg pockets. Not too worried about PCSO’s getting stabbed in the neck or bottled in the face, but for heavens sake don’t fall on a pack of chewing gum in the pocket.
It’s about time we lost the out dated and unpractical uniform!!!
December 12, 2006 at 5:15 pm
Had a visit from a copper a while back ; not in trouble
I remember being amazed at the amount of stuff he had on him – and he wasn’t a big bloke either.
December 12, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Absolutely. Our present uniform hasn’t been designed, it’s evolved. Unfortunately it’s less Cheetah and more duck billed platypus, a union of different bits left over from old purposes.
I look at Police such as NYPD and their uniforms are smart, practical and adaptable to all conditions. Ours look like they’ve been cobbled together at a car boot sale.
December 12, 2006 at 8:32 pm
I work in a force that has been wearing black teeshirts for the best part of this year. The majority of the public actually think our new uniform looks better. I prefer it, what better to roll about on the pavement with some scrote, than a practical uniform.
The fleece we have is total crap. So much so, that we are getting proper winter fleeces – albeit we will be getting them sometime after winter ends.
December 12, 2006 at 9:27 pm
First off uniform has to be practical, but it must also be smart. I think it is important that we portray a professional image to the public that we serve. I like to think that the office of constable still carries with it a certain amount of responsibility and a well turned out officer instills confidence in the people we deal with.
Cost is clearly the overriding factor in everything we do, so why should uniform be different. I am sure we could get better and cheaper shirts from ‘George at Asda’, than the rubbish we do get. Cotton shirts under body armour are really uncomfortable.
The tie with body armour is a waste of time, and when you jump in a car and the body armour rides up it almost ‘garrotts’ you.
What needs to be done is to go back to basics, look at what we need to wear and carry, and design the uniform from scratch to meet this. If the Americans can get it right, and they certainly seem to have a good balance between presentation and practicality then why can’t we manage it.
Wearing body armour over a cotton shirt when it’s 30 degrees is no fun.
December 12, 2006 at 9:32 pm
It’s not just that our stuff is a bad concept, it’s also badly executed.
For example, of the many things wrong with our kit, my force’s armour vests are black which means you then have to wear another garment over it – even in summer. I asked why we couldn’t have reflective tape on them so as to have the best of high and low visibility but was told that this couldn’t happen because due to H&S there isn’t enough space between the stripes!
December 12, 2006 at 9:45 pm
What about something like the army’s Soldier ‘95 kit. Rugged shirts and combat trousers, lightweight but smart, open necked and simple. Cheap to do well.
I work as an RAF reservist in my spare time and even my RAF kit is fields ahead.
December 13, 2006 at 1:07 am
I was out and about the other day doing jobs. Felt rather nice and comfy. Returned to the office and the sgt said “ESP, you lost your tie?” I said “huh” and realised I hadnt put it on! Oops! Must say it was so nice not having it on and I could actually breath sat driving. The sgt found this quite amusing and also agreed it was a pointless thing to wear
December 13, 2006 at 1:13 am
http://www.sensiblepolicing.co.uk
December 13, 2006 at 6:35 pm
No. Stop it. Now. If I wanted to look paramilitary I’d have joined the Chilean Police or somesuch.
I lke wearing a shirt and tie, though admittedly I don’t like the clip ons they are safer I suppose.
Body armour is a pain and I hope it gets better and lighter soon.
And I hate ‘combat’ trousers. You’ll want to be wearing tainers next.
December 13, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Richard, are you a front line Police officer?
I don’t want to look like the SS either, but come on mate lets move into the 21st century.
December 13, 2006 at 8:57 pm
I don’t want to look like something out of the military either. Been there. Done that. I just want a uniform that’s flexible (as in adaptable with the weather), smart (a tie is not the last word in smartness), practical (our belts are full and getting fuller) and easily maintained (how can white cotton shirts be the best option any more?)
I don’t necessarily think black was the wisest choice for Police uniforms. Only brown shirts could have been less sensitive but I do believe there is room for huge advances in our current kit
December 14, 2006 at 12:28 pm
I want to wear trainers when I am on cycling duties, ridiculous cycling, wearing boots.
December 14, 2006 at 10:49 pm
I would have to disagree.. the new uniform is horrible. The fleeces get tatty in 3 minutes flat and look untidy if not zipped and the collars not kept turned down. This is not there natural state preferring to sit lopsided around the kneck, especially under stab vests. The jackets are too short to cover you properly. Any body armour gives me a crick in the kneck. I don’t mind a collared shirt.. I find 1/2 a size too big works well, and I still wear the old black gortex jacket. It covers my backside, I don’t find I need waterproof trousers in the rain and it has big pockets for HORT1s and paperwork so I don’t have to use one of those stupid leather pouches at great expense from NITON.
They are also great for sneaking around in the wee small hours now that some jerk has decided we need RIPA authorisation to put a civvy jacket on.
There has been some mass clean out and I found a hord of these old jackets ready for disposal… I now have a supply that should last until I get disciploned..
I also have the old flourescent one for crowd control and standing waving at cars. Life is still sweet.
December 15, 2006 at 4:27 pm
well, you wouldn’t want to wear my horrible coloured uniform…it’s green !
I work in asda so I’m sure you have probably seen them…you can’t really miss them!
But talking about uniforms gives me the perfect oportunity to have a moan about something I felt quite strongly about for some time.
I’m talking about the policewomen’s uniform…..skirt and soft shoes.
They do the same work as you policemen, patrolling the streets etc.so why didn’t they have the same uniform as you?
I know they have now, thank god. About time too.
I know they looked very smart but it wasn’t practical.It was very old fashioned and out of date.
A friend of mine joined the police but she hated the uniform.She isn’t in the police now but I know she would be pleased the policewomen have the same uniform as the men.
Sorry to rant on, but you know when something niggles you. Well I’m afraid that always did.
sorry
December 16, 2006 at 9:31 am
Annette,
I agree about female officers wearing a different uniform is unfair.
None of the female officers in my force wear skirts, well unless it is some kind of ceremonial occasion. They wear exactly the same as male officers, i think that is the case in most forces now.
December 16, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Pc south west
A&S i take it then?
same here.
i know how you feel.
December 17, 2006 at 9:10 am
I would never name my force, the South West is large area. You know where I am coming from.
December 17, 2006 at 12:27 pm
lets just say BANISH. I
hear what your saying my friend.
December 18, 2006 at 4:38 pm
I saw one of the police magazines the other day – it was about female officers in specialist roles. The picture was of a young female officer in blacks with a HUGE firearm, various black equipment and huge leather boots. This was faintly exciting to look at. Just thought I’d share (hope PC Blogs isn’t reading this).
December 18, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Inspector G, you know what the standard issue trousers do for female officers, not very much that is. Other than make their bum look big in this!!
Sounds like we should roll out the firearms issue trousers for all officers as soon as possible.
And I too hope PC Bloggs is not reading.
December 19, 2006 at 2:05 pm
You have CLIP ON TIES?? All criminals must quake with fear! There must be NO CRIME in your area!!
December 19, 2006 at 10:56 pm
yes, we have clip on ties- 3 issued per year- and they even have a little piece of material that holds the 2 piece tie together. very handy for when you want to swing your tie around the office on a night shift. But wait, hang on, that would mean i have to take my tie off…the horror of it all. I will get a written warning, via my sgt from the district commander for not wearing my tie, in the station, at 4 in the morning when the only people up are the milkman (who doesnt give a toss if i wear my tie) and the disgruntled police officer moaning that its to hot to wear a tie….best put it back on so that i can continue to get a shaving rash, garrott (and i dont care if its spelt incorrectly to be honest) myself on my body arm v’s my tie and over heat in an office that does not allow for air conditioning.
happy christmas by the way
bah humbug
December 22, 2006 at 6:19 am
Well I work as a Special in the northern colony (Scotland to you and I), and we’ve had the “new” uniform for a while now, well actually I’m still waiting on trousers, jumper, new hat, but hey beggeras cannae be choosers…
Just to say the new uniform jackets sem to lose their nice black shade very quickly and the cops I work with have varying shades of grey to theirs. The fleeces are warm, but lose their shape easily. The tshirts we were told help “wick away moisture, thus keeping you cooler” – err, nope! The only thing I like is the Hi-Vis jackets (the tabards are rubbish and cheap looking).
Mind you, I don’t miss the old armour which rubbed up and against, black stained my pristine white shirt (A la clip on tie!), nor the trousers, which were scratchy in the winter and ripping at the seams in summer (I bought my own from a workwear supplier – top notch!).
Yeah the new kit looks the bsuiness, but in fact it’s not – IN FACT, it’s made in some sweatshop and is crap – George at Asda sells better quality for a few bucks!
December 22, 2006 at 11:20 pm
When I retired from the Police last summer, on my final interview I was asked if there were any comments I wished to make about the running of the Police (my cantribuition was, it appeared, valued!). I mentioned the requirement for all patrol officers to wear stab proof vests over white shirts, especially wearing that horrible tie. In the early days, when Police officers were, more or less, respected by the community, the tunic, slacks, shirt and tie fitted in with the role. Then when society changed and became more confrontational, more protection was needed, no problem with that. The problem was, especially in the summer, male officers would sweat under the stab vests (the women would ‘glow’)making the white cotton shirts wet. When the officers returned to the Police station and took their stab vests off, well, anyone who has seen a wet t-shirt contest knows what happened next. The women, bless ‘em, were particularly emabarrassed as their latest aquisitions from Veronica’s Secret became public knowledge, added to which the effect the air conditioning had on their wet bosoms! My views, which had been made several times before retirement, but were ignored, were not couched in the same sort of language but I believe the message was fairly put. The result of my comments on my final interview, whilst valued, were completely ignored. In disgust I get my own back by watching The Bill and hoping that one of the women takes her stab vest off in the air conditioned CID office – no luck yet!
December 24, 2006 at 12:49 am
I agree. Every time I have to bash someone (best part of the job) I seem to split my pants, untuck my shirt, get covered in mud and/or blood, then look like a bag of shit for the rest of the day. Role on combats and polo shirts
December 25, 2006 at 11:42 am
I spent 8 hours walking on patrol with no tie on once, thing is, I’d forgotten to undo my top button. I looked lie a total plank and no one said a thing! doh!
June 8, 2009 at 4:12 pm
The trouble with uniform – not just police – is that it is inveitably cobbled together by a committee, usually those who never engage in the activity they are responsible for. Most police uniforms are so anachronistic that the ‘peelers’ would not feel out their time zone!
Whether its the armed forces, the police or other agency cost inevitably is the majority componant.
All uniformed services need the best kit – but it will cost!!