Do you wear your hat?

**Ruh** · 07-15-06, 12:09 AM

Either by department mandate or by personal preference. Do you wear your hat and more importantly...do you enjoy it?

At my department we have the option to not wear it. I know of only 2 people in my department who wear their hat on routine patrol and on calls. My Sgt. and myself.

That this is freaking pimp. I love my hat. It makes me look taller than I am and just adds to the uniform. Plus, it is custom fitted and the only hat I have ever had and enjoyed wearing. I mean...it actually fits my huge ass head.

Plus, when I go to writing tickets people can't use that as a defense against me

. I'll throw some pictures up someday with me in my full uni, hat included. Because hell, it isn't a full uniform without the hat!

**eMachine** · 07-15-06, 12:15 AM

Ewwww....its so uncool! We wear them when doing some foot, traffic control, or when standing around on the various crime scenes....that's about it. The 8pt hat sucks but the winter hat is pretty nice.

**OfficerResource.com** · 07-15-06, 12:21 AM

Screw hats! My hair is to pretty

**AGalCop** · 07-15-06, 12:30 AM

We only wear our hats when we wear Class A, like a funeral or something. We have Police ball caps we can wear when it rains. No hat for me, hate helmet hair!

CopsRCool302 · 07-15-06, 01:06 AM

does a vikings hat count? i'm a civi..

**depusm12** · 07-15-06, 01:24 AM

Mandated any time we are out of the patrol car. But its a baseball cap so it's not too bad except when it rains.

**GarcoDeputy** · 07-15-06, 02:01 AM

Ball cap and we don't have to if we don't want to!!

**Falcata** · 07-15-06, 06:01 AM

My hat is the flat, white style...as i'm in the Road Policing Unit..(traffic)....

I rarely wear it nowadays, as i'm on a tactical team and either work in unmarked vehicles..or in marked vehicles don't spent much time standing about outside..

However, when I was on normal traffic patrol, I used to wear it a lot..obviously at Accident scenes, but also during routing stops...

In the UK there is something different about the wearing of a white traffic police hat, compared with black hats and the 'Bobby's' helmet.. The public (whilst often hating traffic police), have a certain respect/waryness towards my department..and this can be beneficial....

Sounds a bit S.S. nazi like..I know....

**Garda** · 07-15-06, 06:09 AM

I hate the damn thing but then again, Im not a fan of our uniform nor the reasons for its existence. If were in public it has too be worn and thats that. Stupid rule, it gets in the way, falls off when your wrestling with someone or running and costs money to replace. That cash could be used for so many better things.

Can you believe at holloween we were actually warned that our jackets are HIGHLY flammable!

Someone explain why in the middle of the day in a riot we have to wear this uniform?

**Standard Dave** · 07-15-06, 06:50 AM

I have wear my helmet on foot patrol for some reason the powers that be seem to think it offers protection which it never has to me as it falls off every time I get into a conflict situation on one occasion injuring another police officer

but this piece of 19th century costume which has no place in modern policing is considered traditional and considered by those who have risen to a rank where they no longer have to wear one or are a civi and have never worn one to be an essential part of my uniform.

**Falcata** · 07-15-06, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Standard Dave

but this piece of 19th century costume which has no place in modern policing

Whilst I agree with you Dave......there is still someone special about the 'Bobby's helmet'...

Especially in these times of Police Community Support Officers, VOSA, etc etc......who all wear flat caps, often with body armour, utility belts etc etc...

At least if you see a 'helmet', in the UK, you know it's a Constable with the power associated with that 'office'..

**jmur5074** · 07-15-06, 08:18 AM

Right now I'm not wearing my 8pt.
But when I'm off of FTO I'll be wearing it. I think they look sweet.

On my old dept, I wanted an 8pt, but they didn't even issue hats, so I got jyped. So, when I get off fto I'm wearin' it.

**Beans** · 07-15-06, 09:28 AM

Our hats are so ugly! I am so glad we don't have to wear them. We have 700 officers and I have only seen one old timer ever wear it. They are like so dorky!

**Autumn2009** · 07-15-06, 09:32 AM

Well I voted so hopefully no one gets mad at me, but I work for a Sheriffs Department and I have to wear a hat. It's just a baseball hat so I really shouldn't be complaining, but we have to have it on when making contact with people, etc. etc. and uh for guys it's no biggie, you can take them on and off, but for us chicks with ponytails, taking them on and off is a bit more difficult. So myself and the other three chicks just keep them on, but it's a pain cause on the boat your heads gets really hot cause it's a dark brown hat, and uh I've lost mine in the river 3 times already and had to go fish it out before it was ran over and lost to the bottom of the Muskegon River.

So, not really a big fan of the hat, they look cool, but they're a pain in the BUTT.

**Vendetta** · 07-15-06, 10:46 AM

As of this year we have to wear our hat whenever practical.....ie. except when on a hot call. I hated it at first but now I dont care

**CountyFourteen** · 07-15-06, 12:14 PM

We wear one like wcso, it is required when ever we are in public, on calls, etc....do I wear it.......depends on who is watching, lol I can say I have worn it and it didn't fall off even when taking someone to the ground, but getting into a scuffle once and leaving it at the home of the arrestee and remembering it 30 miles away on the way to the jail wasn't fun, another deputy did go back and get it for me though. We have no ball cap...it is that hat, and it is really hot to wear in the summer...don't mind it so much in the winter or when standing in the rain....

**Piggybank Cop** · 07-15-06, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by GarcoDeputy

Ball cap and we don't have to if we don't want to!!

What he said.

**Piggybank Cop** · 07-15-06, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by wcso234

As of this year we have to wear our hat whenever practical.....ie. except when on a hot call. I hated it at first but now I dont care

Pretty small head and a really skinny neck.

**Vendetta** · 07-15-06, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by CountyFourteen

We wear one like wcso, it is required when ever we are in public, on calls, etc....do I wear it.......depends on who is watching, lol I can say I have worn it and it didn't fall off even when taking someone to the ground, but getting into a scuffle once and leaving it at the home of the arrestee and remembering it 30 miles away on the way to the jail wasn't fun, another deputy did go back and get it for me though. We have no ball cap...it is that hat, and it is really hot to wear in the summer...don't mind it so much in the winter or when standing in the rain....

A trick that I just learned. When the brim starts to warp........wet the brim with water and spray with hairspray and then put heavy books on it while it dries on a flat surface