Police Uniforms That you Hate

[Notorious]

The CHP DID just get recognized as the best dressed state agency....

http://www.kcra.com/news/24398431/detail.html

In the relative scheme of things as far as state agencies go, being best dressed state agency is like winning the most beautiful plus sized woman trophy or coolest star trek fan award.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

The sucky Oklahoma Sheriff style hat my former agency uses. Not useful to keep the sun or rain off your face or neck, big and clunky and easily blown off by the wind. That and it cost over a hundred bucks by the time you were done.

[retired]

simple black leather gear in basketweave or plain finish with nylon gear authorized for class B.

I'll have to politely disagree with this one. Nylon gear should be allowed whether Class A or Class B IMO. There would probably be a lot less medical retirements for a bad back if nylon was permitted. The difference in weight between the two are night and day.

LASD wore have black leather gear in basketweave for decades, with special units being able to wear the nylon gear with Class B uniforms (IIRC, 1997 was the year they began allowing nylon gear, but at the deputies' expense).

I think the nylon gear looks just fine with Class A uniforms. If it was an inspection day or something else special going on, then fine, the polished leather gear could be substituted if desired.

I am kind of partial to tan and green without a leg stripe myself.

[IlDuche]

Anything wool in the rain. My Dept has BDU's for specialized units (housing, Tac, etc), but patrol gets wool class B's every day. I like the wool class B's, they look pretty damn nice and I take care of them. But when it rains you smell like a wet dog and your pants look like you prepped for a flood. Does't help that the issued "rain gear" is the equivalent of a tent liner cut into pants and looks like crap. That never made sense to me: we can wear whatever "rain gear" we want, which many guys equate into black snowboard pants of varying makes/models, and they never hear any grief. But to have everyone in BDU's and matching? Nope, we can't have that, it may be interpreted as "militaristic." Well, at least that's how our old chief saw it. Perhaps that will change...

From the (briefly)former LAPD waaay northern division.

[SoCalDep]

I'm biased like others, but I like tan and green, and contrary to many, I think CHP do look really sharp. I don't like white, light blue, or Vegas metro yellow. The uniforms in many of the pictures above are neat, especially since I don't have to wear them. I think the different uniforms, badges, patches, markings, and insignia (including duty gear material/etc.) would make for a great book.

[BigDogatPlay]

NJ Police




Philly Police

From what I've read the winter or Class A uniform of the New Jersey State Police, as above, was the design of their first superintendent, Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr.. He, like his son, was a West Point graduate and his guidance for the agency when it was formed was largely drawn from his military background. The agency was formed in 1921 and the World War 1 era influence on the uniform is obvious. They use a less formal and more "law enforcement look" in the warmer months and in class B.

The Philadelphia PD guys above are from their Highway Patrol / traffic unit. The regular patrol guys wear a conventional uniform although they use light blue shirts over dark blue pants.... which never looks good, IMO.

[ankyle62]

If I remember correctly from watching Cops it was Baltimore PD's uniforms that were ugly cheap white shirts and dorky hats. A lot of East coast uniforms are ugly now that I think of it.

[PsychGuy274]

If I remember correctly from watching Cops it was Baltimore PD's uniforms that were ugly cheap white shirts and dorky hats. A lot of East coast uniforms are ugly now that I think of it.

Now that you mention it, I think it was Baltimore.

[veeklog]

Wow, hope our WW2 vets don't have a heart attack. These look awfully similiar to you know what.

For comparison:





Mass. Police








NJ Police




Philly Police

I have seen the NJ state Police Uniforms in person, and they really look like they are going to attack Europe. IMO that they are the UGLIEST uniforms ever made, with Mass and RI being a close second!!

[Notorious]

Retired, I only say no nylon for class A because class A to me is the full long sleeve, tie, cover, and maybe gloves, which is for graduations and funerals.

If you mean working class A, then yeah, nylon would be doable. But like I said, I am a traditionalist.

Tan n green is great, but not as slimming as dark navy, and chicks dig the all dark navy more, at least the ones I asked....

[PsychGuy274]

Retired, I only say no nylon for class A because class A to me is the full long sleeve, tie, cover, and maybe gloves, which is for graduations and funerals.

If you mean working class A, then yeah, nylon would be doable. But like I said, I am a traditionalist.

Tan n green is great, but not as slimming as dark navy, and chicks dig the all dark navy more, at least the ones I asked....

Excuse my ignorance, but why would you be working in class A dress?

[Notorious]

Some departments require class A for certain details. Don't ask me why. We don't have that requirement.

But sometimes the departments want their officers dressed up for downtown footbeat, parades, dignitary appearances, etc., where you are working but the department wants to present a more formal appearance and possible avoid officers wearing short sleeves showing tats.

Some departments actually dictate when you can wear what uniform. Like winter months until may, you got to wear class A foyer patrol, then you can wear short sleeves until august, then back to long sleeves. LAPD had that type of policy til the 80's, I heard. Some also require a cover while doing certain functions, like footbeats.

Like I said, we don't have that requirement, I'm just guessing.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Any kind of required headgear would be a PITA. Ballcaps are great because we can take them off/on as needed.

Nylon gear is also great but it gets ratty and needs to be replaced every so often.

[Andy Taylor]

So I was watchin' some cop shows the other day and I saw an agency in a different state (don't remeber which one) and the uniforms were black slacks and a white top. That was the first time I ever saw that from actual cops and they just looked like cheap rent-a-cops to me. It was so bad that minus the patrol car you'd think they were just armed security.

What do you guys think about those kinds of uniforms?

They only look like security, because you live in an area where you typically only see security in such uniforms. If you lived in an area where those uniforms are used by LE, you would have a different feeling about those uniforms.

[Notorious]

I also do not like the blue/gray shirt that KCMO wears. Oh, Boston has a light blue stripe on their pants, not gold. My bad.

All green for border patrol, orange county sheriff, or Broward winter dress, don't work for me either.