Populace applauds police for ditching baseball hats


Just six years after switching to “more practical” baseball caps in the US style, a police force has received praise for its “fantastic decision” to bring back traditional headgear.

The gender-neutral headwear for all of its officers will be dropped, Lancashire Police said on social media, before bowler hats for women and white flat caps for men were once again introduced.

Many others expressed support for the decision on social media, with one writing: “Just need to see the custodians return now,” using the traditional police officer’s helmet as a point of reference.

The decision was praised by a retired police officer who wore the traditional headwear, who added: “It still irritates me when I see policemen not wearing caps.” It truly does matter how the general public perceives you.

The new hats will connect them in to Lancashire and the Crown, another person remarked. “Fantastic choice, look the part, act the part.” Absolutely the perfect decision.

“This move is about strengthening the figures of authority police officers should be in our communities,” said Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden.

After spending thousands to put in caps that it regarded as “more reasonable,” the police did so only six years ago.

Many officers dislike wearing the baseball hats, according to Chief Constable Chris Rowley: “This problem has been addressed with me frequently for more than a year by officers, and I’ve always considered that conventional headgear is wiser and provides a more professional impression to the public.”

I make it known that I have high expectations to everyone of my team, even new hires and officers with greater experience. When they are working, I want them to be intelligent and to provide our communities with high-quality services.

However, several Twitter users criticised the decision as a “waste of money” and questioned how useful the more conventional headgear would be.

Before another proposed using the money to purchase “better first aid kits in response cars,” one added, “We need the cops to be able to execute their job successfully, not look nice.”

Another person called the choice “ridiculous” and described it as being made out of a desire to cling to the past. There is no evidence to suggest how this will help in the battle against crime.

All male police will get traditional flat caps, while female officers will have the option of wearing bowlers that have Lancashire Constabulary insignia.

Many of the cops who kept their previous hats have already begun donning them while walking down the street.

The force is the most recent to ban baseball hats, which some critics have compared to a “Burger King” uniform because they made officers “look like Jimmy Krankie.”

Research indicated that the new headgear would eliminate the problem of transgender police having to choose between custodian helmets for men and bowler hats for women, thus Northamptonshire Police spent more than £23,000 to adopt baseball caps.

However, Chief Constable Nick Adderley said they “did not project the correct image” two years later.

Though not everyone has been thrilled with the Lancashire Police news.

Phil Riley, the head of Blackburn with Darwen Council, told his local newspaper: “It seems like a strange thing to do.

I fail to see how it would address the concerns the public has with police.

‘It seems like a strange use of £40,000. There must be more effective ways to use it.


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