A reintroduction of hairnets for London’s female police officers is possible, as the new chief believes that a professional appearance is essential to maintaining public trust in the force.
Dame Lynne Owens, who would assume the position of deputy commissioner the following month, criticized “inconsistent haircuts worn on duty” and proposed that rules of clothing for all current officers in the Metropolitan Police Service might be considered.
I believe that standards are important because they directly affect how the public perceives us.
She proactively responded to her own tweet by emphasizing other fundamentals: ‘I realize there are other fundamentals to get right (responding effectively, investigating fully, supporting victims, etc.).’
A succession of crises have harmed The Metropolitan Police Department’s image in the eyes of the public.
The force is presently in special measures owing to “systematic” shortcomings, officers were discovered to have traded “grossly obscene” texts with Wayne Couzens in a WhatsApp group, and a mother recently filmed an officer saying, “I’d want to search you.”
A commenter questioned Dame Lynne’s priorities after she uploaded the picture, to which she responded, ‘I really feel the two are related. Obviously, the most important metric is public service.’
She said to another user, “I am aware that this is not an isolated occurrence.” We must examine anything that makes the life of hardworking police harder. I think we can accomplish both simultaneously.
Dame Lynne also commented that the “kindest term” to characterize the existing hairstyles of female officers is “inconsistency.”
She stated, “None of us should look the other way.” Others can do it without a net, but not me!