Tradition or just stupid

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tradition or just stupid

Posted: 5/1/2011 8:33:04 PM EDT

Talking about the stupid "bus driver" hats. We've still got um. Only have to wear them at roll call, Class A affairs, special events (details) and if the news media shows up. They don't serve any pratical purpose, it's something else you have to keep up with, in a crowd of drunks you're gonna lose it and THEY LOOK STUPID. ALL of our past chiefs seem to love them for some reason. We're not alowed to wear ball caps BTW

Posted: 5/1/2011 10:08:10 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
Talking about the stupid "bus driver" hats. We've still got um. Only have to wear them at roll call, Class A affairs, special events (details) and if the news media shows up. They don't serve any pratical purpose, it's something else you have to keep up with, in a crowd of drunks you're gonna lose it and THEY LOOK STUPID. ALL of our past chiefs seem to love them for some reason. We're not alowed to wear ball caps BTW

Do you happen to work a little south of Cookeville? If so, you're not the first that I've heard complain about this.

Posted: 5/2/2011 3:45:38 AM EDT

[#2]

Yeah my last department had the bus driver hats also. However if you think you had it bad, we were required to wear them EVERYTIME we exited our vehicle. Thats right kids, on traffic stops, domestics, you name it. If a staff member drove by you on a hot scene and you didnt have your hat on, expect a meeting with the Lt after tomorrows briefing and a letter going in your file.

Safety isnt important, looking professional is!

Posted: 5/2/2011 4:06:58 AM EDT

[#3]

I've always wondered what the rationale for those were. Another thing that gets me is white uniforms. WTF? I can't help but to think that they all have sweat stains and pick up every piece of dirt.... But it's professional.

Posted: 5/2/2011 4:09:32 AM EDT

[#4]

I think they look sharp for class A type stuff. As practical duty headgear, not so much.

FWIW in TDCJ they used to make us wear ties on a daily basis.

Posted: 5/2/2011 6:11:47 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I've always wondered what the rationale for those were. Another thing that gets me is white uniforms. WTF? I can't help but to think that they all have sweat stains and pick up every piece of dirt.... But it's professional.

I will work for an agency where I have to carry a sidearm other than my beloved Glock 22, but I draw the line at white shirts!

My first L.E. job was in a county jail where we wore black BDU's. A co-work accidentally bumped into me and spilled an entire cup of coffee on my uniform. I finished the rest of the shift with the uniform and nobody could tell. Washed it once to get the coffee smell out and nobody could tell the difference!

My opinion is if by the end of your shift, if you aren't dirty, sweaty, and stink then you aren't doing your job!

Posted: 5/2/2011 6:15:32 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Talking about the stupid "bus driver" hats. We've still got um. Only have to wear them at roll call, Class A affairs, special events (details) and if the news media shows up. They don't serve any pratical purpose, it's something else you have to keep up with, in a crowd of drunks you're gonna lose it and THEY LOOK STUPID. ALL of our past chiefs seem to love them for some reason. We're not alowed to wear ball caps BTW

Do you happen to work a little south of Cookeville? If so, you're not the first that I've heard complain about this.

Memphis PD. We've got a new director and hopefully that's one of the changes he'll make.

Posted: 5/2/2011 7:11:27 AM EDT

[#7]

We didn't go with white, but we did light grey shirts as they did a much better job at hiding a lot of dirt.

Posted: 5/2/2011 7:28:06 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Yeah my last department had the bus driver hats also. However if you think you had it bad, we were required to wear them EVERYTIME we exited our vehicle. Thats right kids, on traffic stops, domestics, you name it. If a staff member drove by you on a hot scene and you didnt have your hat on, expect a meeting with the Lt after tomorrows briefing and a letter going in your file.

Safety isnt important, looking professional is!

Henrico County?

Posted: 5/2/2011 7:29:42 AM EDT

[#9]

Have white uniform shirts for a volunteer EMS service I work for and it's almost impossible to look professional after a patient or two. Tried going to blue a few years ago...but wound up looking too much like the local PD and had everyone wanting to fight with us. Not easy to keep a back up shirt handy when we work almost exclusively standby at events with no locker or good place to keep a button down shirt without rolling it up into a go bag. Stained or wrinkled is the only way to go once something happens. Its a pain in the ass.

Posted: 5/2/2011 7:37:23 AM EDT

[#10]

our hats only come out for class A events (parades, ceremonies etc). Only time I wore mine on the road other than that was if it was raining cats and dogs.

J-

Posted: 5/2/2011 7:43:03 AM EDT

[#11]

AS a non-leo, I will say I really like the stetsons our DPS wear. Practical, professional and looks good. I also like the DI Smokey the bear type hats.

Most Texas DPS officers I have spoken in casual occasions seem to prefer the stetson as well.

Posted: 5/2/2011 10:34:59 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
AS a non-leo, I will say I really like the stetsons our DPS wear. Practical, professional and looks good. I also like the DI Smokey the bear type hats.

Most Texas DPS officers I have spoken in casual occasions seem to prefer the stetson as well.

http://i53.tinypic.com/ibfcxg.jpg

The amount of badass in that picture is insane.

Posted: 5/2/2011 12:44:50 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Yeah my last department had the bus driver hats also. However if you think you had it bad, we were required to wear them EVERYTIME we exited our vehicle. Thats right kids, on traffic stops, domestics, you name it. If a staff member drove by you on a hot scene and you didnt have your hat on, expect a meeting with the Lt after tomorrows briefing and a letter going in your file.

Safety isnt important, looking professional is!

Henrico County?

Haha. Its sad that you knew that.

Posted: 5/2/2011 1:21:11 PM EDT

[#14]

Imagine having to wear cowboy hats.

Straw in the spring/summer and felt in the fall/winter.

Posted: 5/2/2011 2:22:13 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

AS a non-leo, I will say I really like the stetsons our DPS wear. Practical, professional and looks good. I also like the DI Smokey the bear type hats.

Most Texas DPS officers I have spoken in casual occasions seem to prefer the stetson as well.

http://i53.tinypic.com/ibfcxg.jpg

They aren't Stetson, they're Resistol, though I've heard more than once that they're made by a small shop in Austin.

What I do know, however is that my dept. wears the milkman hat, we all hate them, and my yankee chief hates my Resistol. Fortunately we also have ball caps and aren't required to wear the milkman hat. I don't even have one.

Posted: 5/2/2011 2:28:40 PM EDT

[#16]

It's just as bad on the red side sometimes.

We had a much loved former Chief pass away unexpectedly, and while the local uniform place did great getting us uniforms in such a short time frame the only hats they could get 34 of quickly were these:

Even though the original department issue were these for years:

We never got issued cap emblems and it looks really weird to have a bunch of hose draggers in blank 8-point hats.

Posted: 5/2/2011 3:49:16 PM EDT

[#17]

We only have to wear ours for special events...which is still pretty rare.

I remember working on 3rd shift years ago and we would have 'lid night' where we would all wear our hats just to be stupid.

Good times...good times...

Posted: 5/2/2011 4:18:50 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Yeah my last department had the bus driver hats also. However if you think you had it bad, we were required to wear them EVERYTIME we exited our vehicle. Thats right kids, on traffic stops, domestics, you name it. If a staff member drove by you on a hot scene and you didnt have your hat on, expect a meeting with the Lt after tomorrows briefing and a letter going in your file.

Safety isnt important, looking professional is!

Henrico County?

Haha. Its sad that you knew that.

One of the guys did about 15 months there after his wife scored a job in Richmond. She got downsized and they moved back here. Whenever I ask him what the thought of the agency, he always starts with "Holy f*** the hats....!"

Posted: 5/2/2011 4:41:44 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I've always wondered what the rationale for those were. Another thing that gets me is white uniforms. WTF? I can't help but to think that they all have sweat stains and pick up every piece of dirt.... But it's professional.

I asked that question once...
I was told that a study was conducted concerning the number one authority symbol recognized by the public at large. The hat with badge affixed was top of that list. The number one hat on that list was the Campaign hat (Smokey Bear). Next was the bus driver hat. Both most likely because of their military influence.

Posted: 5/2/2011 5:05:52 PM EDT

[#20]

These are the hats that are the standard for the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association:

Thankfully I work for one of the counties that wear these:

Posted: 5/2/2011 5:44:19 PM EDT

[#21]

I work the day shift and and a ball cap would keep the sun out of my eyes and protect the bald spot. So how do you get the admins to change ?

Posted: 5/2/2011 9:26:08 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Yeah my last department had the bus driver hats also. However if you think you had it bad, we were required to wear them EVERYTIME we exited our vehicle. Thats right kids, on traffic stops, domestics, you name it. If a staff member drove by you on a hot scene and you didnt have your hat on, expect a meeting with the Lt after tomorrows briefing and a letter going in your file.

Ditto at a previous department....

Posted: 5/2/2011 10:10:45 PM EDT

[#23]

Hats? We don't need no stinking hats!

There is a town around here that if you're caught not wearing your cover it's an automatic 2 day suspension.

Posted: 5/3/2011 6:03:15 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
AS a non-leo, I will say I really like the stetsons our DPS wear. Practical, professional and looks good. I also like the DI Smokey the bear type hats.

Most Texas DPS officers I have spoken in casual occasions seem to prefer the stetson as well.

http://i53.tinypic.com/ibfcxg.jpg

They aren't Stetson, they're Resistol, though I've heard more than once that they're made by a small shop in Austin.

I stand corrected! Very professional looking either way.

Posted: 5/3/2011 8:55:04 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:

AS a non-leo, I will say I really like the stetsons our DPS wear. Practical, professional and looks good. I also like the DI Smokey the bear type hats.

Most Texas DPS officers I have spoken in casual occasions seem to prefer the stetson as well.

http://i53.tinypic.com/ibfcxg.jpg

They aren't Stetson, they're Resistol, though I've heard more than once that they're made by a small shop in Austin.

I stand corrected! Very professional looking either way.

Easy mistake, they're the same company, basically.

Posted: 5/3/2011 12:08:11 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I've always wondered what the rationale for those were. Another thing that gets me is white uniforms. WTF? I can't help but to think that they all have sweat stains and pick up every piece of dirt.... But it's professional.

I asked that question once...

I was told that a study was conducted concerning the number one authority symbol recognized by the public at large. The hat with badge affixed was top of that list. The number one hat on that list was the Campaign hat (Smokey Bear). Next was the bus driver hat. Both most likely because of their military influence.

Fair enough. Thanks for the info.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tradition or just stupid

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