Show your Pride?

[Cidp24]

After my last post, I was thinking a little more about the reasons I don't advertise. It's not so much the safety issue and it's dang sure not that I am ashamed of what I do. It's more so that I can blend in and be a regular person. If people don't know what I do, they don't ask me stupid police questions, tell me about the unfair ticket they got, go into a story about some asshole officer they had dealings with, etc. They also don't ask me if I know their (insert good friend, cousin, neighbor, etc) that works for a department three counties over that I never heard of. Speaking of the "good friend" officer, half the time they can't even get the name right when they do mention someone I know. I don't know about y'all but I know the correct name and pronunciation of that name for all of my "good friends".

[CT209]

I guess I fall into the special ocassion group. If I'm going to a event that is going to have a lot of cops present, I may wear a funny cop T-shirt. Daily civilian attire doesn't consist of those though.

[jcsdscott]

+1


When I get those things as gifts from those who don't understand, I only wear them around the house. Nothing about my clothing says cop. As a matter of fact I'm very opposite when I'm off. Unless there is some special occasion, I rarely shave on my days off. My clothes tend to be comfortable jeans and a hoodie or tee shirt. Usually a hat of some sort (beanie or ball cap depending on weather) or the longer hair on top of my head is styled in a messy fashion to distract from the high and tight sides.

I also voted special occasions, such as training, of course training for me usually entails driving the fully marked squad I park in my yard so oh well.

I have gotten a couple of t-shirts and a ball cap which I only use around the house.

My family and extended associative circle are kind of a mixed bag. At times it seems my father has even been ashamed to tell anyone what I do, either because of a cultural mistrust of law enforcement by my race or due to the fact I'm not a state trooper. My pastor, whenever, a situation arises where even the word police might be mentioned refers to us as the "civil militia", and it is well known to the mopes in the pews that I and three other members are cops.

My badge and ID are tucked in a pocket, and my sidearm stays well concealed, though I have to agree with Wolven and others, it's not the shirt that would give me away.

[mavriktu]

After my last post, I was thinking a little more about the reasons I don't advertise. It's not so much the safety issue and it's dang sure not that I am ashamed of what I do. It's more so that I can blend in and be a regular person. If people don't know what I do, they don't ask me stupid police questions, tell me about the unfair ticket they got, go into a story about some asshole officer they had dealings with, etc. They also don't ask me if I know their (insert good friend, cousin, neighbor, etc) that works for a department three counties over that I never heard of. Speaking of the "good friend" officer, half the time they can't even get the name right when they do mention someone I know. I don't know about y'all but I know the correct name and pronunciation of that name for all of my "good friends".

This is my exact reasoning ,of course living in a small town it doesn't really matter .

[IndianaFuzz]

I don't really hide it, but I don't advertise either.

It's hard to really hide. I've met enough people on the job that they generally recognize me when I'm off duty too. I treat people pretty well, and I tend to give the impression of being a bit crazy. Taking off weapons at the jail can be like a scene out of Mad Max.

I have a marked car in front of my house. I've had a couple people come to the door to ask questions in 12 years, but it's not that big a hassle.

I don't care if people talk about me being a cop when we're out and about.

There is a difference between flaunting it, and just being you. I just wear whatever I feel like wearing that day. Even though my city has 70K people in it, over my career I've ran into countless people in the course of my duties. If I go to stores during the day, people I don't remember recognize me all the time (when wearing NOTHING that has to do with police) and try to start talking to me. People here will know I'm a cop regardless of what I do or don't do, regardless of what I wear or don't wear. If some guy I arrest wants to have a vendetta against me and try to pull some crap, he will be able to find me regardless unless he's a total moron. So why should I bother even thinking about what to wear? I understand the safety thing, but for me and my situation, I'm just as safe or un-safe either way. For those of you that think the thin blue line sticker on your POV is a slick way to show you are a cop without criminals knowing, you are a bit naive. They know what the sticker means. I'm more concerned with having a mindset of being aware of whats going on around me when off duty and having means available to me to deal with something messed up that happens. I think its more dangerous to turn off "cop mode" when off duty, than to make sure not to fly the flag. And of course you can always keep "cop mode" on and not wear or show anything police related as well. For me, I just want to be how I want to be. Trouble will find or not find me anyway.

So I guess my answer to the poll, if it were an option, is that I neither flaunt nor hide it.

Oh and Billy, when I get out at the jail, my partner jokes that I am Tackleberry from Police Academy.

[Hondo]

I am actually torn on this subject. Everytime I go to the mall, zoo, amusement park or even Wally World I see no less then one person wearing a shirt or hat that say's police, sheriff, FBI, marshall etc.... Our prior Sheriff also handed t-shirts and ball caps out like candy. It is very obvious that these individuals are not LEO's. I admit that I do sometimes wear a ball cap or t shirt with police or sheriff on it. In my area doesn't even garner a second look.

[Caveman]

Personally I don't understand in a million years why any officer would want to wear identifying items in public off duty.
Unless your from Mayberry or Hazzard county and everyone already knows who you are anyway.

[TXPO710]

There is a difference between flaunting it, and just being you. I just wear whatever I feel like wearing that day.

That's what I ment by understated way. Hey, it's my first poll.

[TXPO710]

Personally I don't understand in a million years why any officer would want to wear identifying items in public off duty.
Unless your from Mayberry or Hazzard county and everyone already knows who you are anyway.

Because I'm really proud of what I do. I'm also on with the VFD (shhh, don't tell anyone) and I get sick of going to VFD training and seeing all the "make fun of cops" T-shirts (their jealous of us you know). I want to wear ones that make fun of the hose draggers.
I'm in a small town...everyone DOES know who I am.

[121Traffic]

I have a bunch of LE T-Shirts that I wear from time to time. I voted for the "Special Occasions" category, but really it's more than that. First off, I've have more than a few people come up to me and ask if I serve or I'm a cop. It's just who I am, how I carry myself, etc. I would be a terrible UC or narc and I know that if I were to score a gig like that, I would have to consciously "dirt" up. I'm okay with that. I spent 4 years at a military high school, a couple in NROTC in college, and now I'm a uniform patrolman. I walk with a 30-inch step at 120 beats per minute, I don't slouch or drag my feet, and speak from my diaphragm when something irks me. I never got the opportunity to serve, but I sure got the pomp and circustance down.

My look can't be any more straightlaced. My high and tight is never more than a week old, just like it has been since I was 14. I can't stand having it any longer. I can't stand not shaving on my day off. And when I'm out, more than once I've had people remark that I'm the one person they know that drives them nuts because I can stand perfectly still but have my eyes never resting. It's always hands, hands, hands.

That being said, do I flaunt it? No. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little bit metrosexual. My normal attire is nice button ups with the sleeves rolled up, untucked to hide the holstered cohete that I'm carrying 99% of the time. I don't drive a truck or SUV like most cops I work with, but rather a silver 2-door that has zero trunk space but hauls ass. No bumper stickers or anything on it. I have a couple of nice watches and wear sunglasses that are more expensive than my car payment. There just isn't a lot of room in there for feel-good cop gear to be displayed. I'm blue through and through though, and I haven't taken off my TBL bracelet ever since receiving it from one of my best friends I met in the academy.

On the other hand, I have no qualms about wearing a LE t-shirt here and there. I wear one every day going to and from work, whether I'm wearing a jacket over it or not. I'll be wearing it if I'm heading to range, other training, or an FOP lodge meeting. I'll be wearing it when we get off on Sunday morning and hit a local watering hole for beers after shift at 0700. The place has a couple of regular winos in there that don't much care for cops, but we usually outnumber them anyway so I don't worry. Hiding a t-shirt wouldn't do much good when we're trading war stories from the week with shiftmates who were working districts further away from us. I've also got no qualms about heading out for a casual dinner in an LE shirt if I'm already wearing it around the house. Usually in that situation, I will at least try to minimize the "in your face" aspect of it and will usually have one with a subdued "Scout/Sniper School" or "In memory of" design on the front only with nothing on the back.

[JSO85360]

I usually dress casual and don't wear anything with LEO logo. I'm always armed, and my POV has nothing on it whatsoever. Not even an FOP insignea. If I get stopped, I have my credentials. Now I will wear a BlackWater t shirt, or USMC t shirt on the weekends, and every now and then I wear a leo t shirt to the gym, but everyone there knows me any way, and I keep my weapon, radio, badge in my gym bag and carry it around from station to station.

[Delon]

For me, unless I am doing something LEO related, I don't have anything visible that says LEO.

I much prefer to "choose" if or when to get involved in something when I don't have a radio or vest on.

[roadwarrior]

I'm with the majority. I don't like to flaunt it. Never been the type. I have a patrol car in front of my house, that's flaunting it enough. There was an instance at Wal Mart that was funny a few months back. Some dirt ball approached my wife and I in the parking lot with a fist full of mushrooms and wanted me to buy them. I laughed a for a second, showed him my badge and detained him until the City PD came and took him. I guess he must have thought I was a dirt ball like him. Charges were never filed (no surprise in our county), but the look on the guy's face was to die for. However, i was uncomfortable that my wife was with me,,,,safety concerns.

[Hondo]

Because I'm really proud of what I do. I'm also on with the VFD (shhh, don't tell anyone) and I get sick of going to VFD training and seeing all the "make fun of cops" T-shirts (their jealous of us you know). I want to wear ones that make fun of the hose draggers.
I'm in a small town...everyone DOES know who I am.

I feel you!! My favorite is "GOD CREATED COPS SO FIREFIGHTERS WOULD HAVE HEROS"

[Captain America]

I much prefer to "choose" if or when to get involved in something when I don't have a radio or vest on.

[Cidp24]

I much prefer to "choose" if or when to get involved in something when I don't have a radio or vest on.

VERY good statement. If you are identified as an officer off duty, you could very well be pulled into something that good tactics dictate you stay out of and just be a good witness.

[Five-0]

For me, unless I am doing something LEO related, I don't have anything visible that says LEO.

I much prefer to "choose" if or when to get involved in something when I don't have a radio or vest on.

Atta boy.

[Retdetsgt]

I never had a take home patrol car so not many of my neighbors even knew what I did for a living. I really didn't try to hide it, I just noticed that if I didn't bring up what I did for a living, people rarely asked. If they did, I just said I worked for the city.

I really didn't own any t-shirts or anything that said police. The dept sold them, but I never got around to buying one.

I was proud of what I did and still am, but after the first few years on the job, I found it made my life simpler not to bring it up unless it was relevant to a conversation I was in. If it added to a conversation to some extent, I'd mention it, but it rarely did.

[nsb22]

I never shave on my days off, unless I have to of course, I never wear 5.11 pants anymore, I don't look like a cop when I'm not playing cop. Sadly, a lot of the guys on the department flaunt it all the time.

Even when we were doing physical agilities for the new guys, I was the only one out of 4 that didn't look like a cop. The other three guys all had on 5.11's, tucked in shirts 2 of which said police front and back and guns and badge wide open on the belt. Me? Niceish button down shirt, untucked, jeans with a stylish whole in them and desert combat boots. Nothing there screams cop.

The only tshirt I have that is cop related is a smurf blue tshirt with big white "police" front and back. It was the uniform of the day when I worked at another town as an extra gig.


Even when I was a firefighter, it was rare to catch me in anything fire related if I wasn't working. I've never been one to draw attention to myself.

[Retdetsgt]

Many, many years ago when I was a young cop, the Sgt wanted about 7 or 8 of us to come to work in plain clothes to work a mission. Four of the guys showed up wearing army fatigue jackets, black turtle necks and stocking caps. I about died laughing.