Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department goes to Round top service caps for patrol

[indycop]

We chased a guy once through three counties, and one of the county depts. had Impalas. We had to pass them in order to keep up with the offender. It was really sad. As for as the ball caps, like I said I don't wear it. It's not required.

We were running top speed to another county calling for help and in the straights we would leave the Impalas but when it got twisty the impalas would blow by.[huh]
We have ball caps as well. I only wear them if I have to be in the sun which is not often working nights.:eusa_doh:

 

[indycop]

Considering that there's no such thing as an American car anymore, I don't see why PD's don't buy "foreign" cars which have better reliability and gas mileage (according to Consumer Reports, anyway). As a taxpayer, I'd rather the PD didn't spend as much on fuel and repairs. As for performance, I've heard that some Australian departments use Subaru WRX's, and having driven my friend's from NYC to Pittsburgh, I doubt they would have trouble keeping up with much.

Oddly, the "buy American" ethos doesn't seem to apply to motorcycles, probably because Harleys are really expensive to buy and maintain compared to foreign bikes. A friend of mine works for the Dept. of Transportation in Portland, OR, and he spearheaded a transition from Kawasakis as the standard issue police motorcycle to BMW's because of their superior reliability. The officers who had to ride them didn't seem to mind.

If I could drive a WRX ( wearing an 8 point cap) as my patrol car I would never complain about anything again!!!!!!!! Well ok thats not true, Cops love to complain! And don't even get me started about Rumours!:eusa_doh:

Our department has 2 BMW's , that spend more time in the shop than other motorcycles, and the nearest place that works on them is 2.5 hours away.....

 

[metropd]

fftopic: fftopic: fftopic:

 

[indycop]

fftopic: fftopic: fftopic:

It's not off topic! Don't you see the part about wearing an 8 point cap? lol lol

 

[metropd]

It's not off topic! Don't you see the part about wearing an 8 point cap? lol lol

OOPS, thats what happens when I skim through text and I don't read the whole thing.

Indycop, why do you like the 8-point service cap but not the round service cap. Is it just because the specific round service cap your department uses is made out of polyester, ours are made ot of wool? Dou you guys have plastic instead of standard leather visors?I know there are different styles of round serice caps. Obviously the Italian Polzia style is much more stylish and nicer than a Toronto PD style. Is that the issue?

 

[Colby Jack]

Speaking as a civilian, to me, law enforcement personnel wearing headgear communicates the serious nature of their calling. I personally prefer police who look "official" and to some degree, intimidating. It doesn't have to be a Campaign Hat, but headgear that carries the formality of their position.






dean

Good to hear from ya Dean!:eusa_clap
Then detectives should all start wearing fedoras as uniform hats!

 

[D.W. Suratt]

Good to hear from ya Dean!:eusa_clap
Then detectives should all start wearing fedoras as uniform hats!

I've already made up my mind, when I do make detective, I'll be wearing a fedora to work. Just like my hero to the left.

 

[indycop]

OOPS, thats what happens when I skim through text and I don't read the whole thing.

Indycop, why do you like the 8-point service cap but not the round service cap. Is it just because the specific round service cap your department uses is made out of polyester, ours are made ot of wool? Dou you guys have plastic instead of standard leather visors?I know there are different styles of round serice caps. Obviously the Italian Polzia style is much more stylish and nicer than a Toronto PD style. Is that the issue?

Mine looks like a flying saucer and is very cheap looking. I don't like the poofy look, I like the ones that lay down on the sides a bit kinda like the old flyers caps.

 

[indycop]

Good to hear from ya Dean!:eusa_clap
Then detectives should all start wearing fedoras as uniform hats!

I was going to start that if I made detective, but I think I will be working somewhere else before that ever happens......

 

[reetpleat]

Speaking as a civilian, to me, law enforcement personnel wearing headgear communicates the serious nature of their calling. I personally prefer police who look "official" and to some degree, intimidating. It doesn't have to be a Campaign Hat, but headgear that carries the formality of their position.






dean

On a related note, I ws always very offeended by the uniforms worn by a lot of officers in san francisco. They were jumpsuits with caps. Looked way too military to me. I guess a police uniform looks military too, but I don't want them running around in combat gear. I like a professional looking uniform. Notthat I want them to have to war polyester, but paramilitary jumpsuits for public work is way out of line to me.

As far as the article, how did they get $40,000 from 400 officers buying $100 dollar hats. Do they get ten a piece?

 

[reetpleat]

Considering that there's no such thing as an American car anymore, I don't see why PD's don't buy "foreign" cars which have better reliability and gas mileage (according to Consumer Reports, anyway). As a taxpayer, I'd rather the PD didn't spend as much on fuel and repairs. As for performance, I've heard that some Australian departments use Subaru WRX's, and having driven my friend's from NYC to Pittsburgh, I doubt they would have trouble keeping up with much.

Oddly, the "buy American" ethos doesn't seem to apply to motorcycles, probably because Harleys are really expensive to buy and maintain compared to foreign bikes. A friend of mine works for the Dept. of Transportation in Portland, OR, and he spearheaded a transition from Kawasakis as the standard issue police motorcycle to BMW's because of their superior reliability. The officers who had to ride them didn't seem to mind.

In Seattle, all the bike officers, meaning higher ranking, get harleys as do the funeral escorts. I hate the idea of tax dollars going for such vanity items. If the Kawasakis are good enough for the patrol officers, they are good enough for the officers.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Then detectives should all start wearing fedoras as uniform hats!

Being a PI instead of a police detective, I seldom wear one of my fedoras while I'm actually working. Perhaps its also in combination with my young age and my still novice work experience, I wonder if clients, interviewees, and police officers would take me seriously if I showed up wearing a fedora. (not to mention the attempt of trying to blend in while on surveillance) I've determined I would be more likely to wear my fedoras in the future once my reputation has been grounded, and others know I'm not just a kid trying to live the movies.

 

[NonEntity]

I'm out of my area of expertise here, but I thought the name of the military/police hat with the circular crown that flairs up and out from the head band and has a shiny, downpointed curved bill on the front only is called a Garrison Cap. What this thread needs is photos!

My Granddad was a Mississippi River dredge boat captain--U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--and wore such a cap on duty. With "scrambled eggs" on the thick, leather bill, leather band and trim, and khaki-colored cotton crown, it was terrific looking and broadcast who he was in no uncertain terms. He retired in the mid-1960s, and the standard-issue captain's cap has probably changed several times since then, though there could be no improvement whatsoever.

The funny thing was how he wore it. When there was an "official" visitor on board, like for an inspection or the like, Grand wore it perfectly straight on his head so that the bill dipped low over his eyes, and, with the halo inside, the cap appeared huge. There was absolutely no doubt who was in charge of that boat! Picture Douglas MacArthur, with piercing blue eyes instead of sunglasses.

However, on routine days on the river, he wore it pushed back a bit and cocked ever so slightly to the side, without the halo inside, which let the rear and sides of the crown drape over the band. He still carried an air of authority because, well, he was the captain, but it was a much softer, more accessible look even though it was the same cap.

I like to see a policeman in such a cap with the halo in, or in a campaign hat, though both would be practically impossible to wear while seated in modern patrol cars, but that does not preclude putting in on upon exiting the vehicle. Any other kind of hat sends the wrong message--weak.

 

[metropd]

I have heard a service cap called a garrisson hat in civil law enforcment but in the military a garrison hat is a different hat which is a "side cap" or "wedge cap". The reason I don't call it a garrison hat is to avoid confusion with military members which the same name is a completly different hat for them.

 

[indycop]

I'm out of my area of expertise here, but I thought the name of the military/police hat with the circular crown that flairs up and out from the head band and has a shiny, downpointed curved bill on the front only is called a Garrison Cap.

We called the flat cap that resembled an envelope a Garrison cap when I was in the Army.

I have seen an article about the top ten things about an officer that copkillers look for when they decide wether or not they will try to kill a cop.
Unkempt appearance is one of them. Also the nice cops that everyone likes because they are not, well you know like the cops everyone dislikes, are high on the list too.
I do not think that the hat or lack of makes a cop appear weak. I have seen plenty of them in hats that make Barney fife look like GSG-9...
I have a ball cap and the round dress cap but never wear either one because the fit is horrible and you can't get anyone but yourself to spend the money on a decent one.


fftopic: Every year more cops are dying than the year before. 2 months into 2008 and we are already at 29. That's 21% higher than this time last year.

 

[reetpleat]

We called the flat cap that resembled an envelope a Garrison cap when I was in the Army.

I have seen an article about the top ten things about an officer that copkillers look for when they decide wether or not they will try to kill a cop.
Unkempt appearance is one of them. Also the nice cops that everyone likes because they are not, well you know like the cops everyone dislikes, are high on the list too.
I do not think that the hat or lack of makes a cop appear weak. I have seen plenty of them in hats that make Barney fife look like GSG-9...
I have a ball cap and the round dress cap but never wear either one because the fit is horrible and you can't get anyone but yourself to spend the money on a decent one.


fftopic: Every year more cops are dying than the year before. 2 months into 2008 and we are already at 29. That's 21% higher than this time last year.

I am a little skeptical about any study that would purport to account for such decisions. What cop killedr ever thinks about it before hand. I imagine it is a rathe rsupr of the momnet decision based on their fear of being arrested and likelihood of getting away with it. I think that if you asked cop killers after the fact, you might get some answeres taht are not all that accurate as to their decision at hte time. But I am certanly no expert.

 

[indycop]

I am a little skeptical about any study that would purport to account for such decisions. What cop killedr ever thinks about it before hand. I imagine it is a rathe rsupr of the momnet decision based on their fear of being arrested and likelihood of getting away with it. I think that if you asked cop killers after the fact, you might get some answeres taht are not all that accurate as to their decision at hte time. But I am certanly no expert.

Don't quote me but I believe the study was done by the FBI. I have seen some ridiculous studys that probably could have bought alot of hats for what was spent doing them.
The fact is most people that a cop runs into know as soon as they see the cop that they are wanted or are going to go to jail, or not going no matter what and have already decided how far they will go. No matter how much preplanning a Police officer is always reacting to the other person.

Ok back on topic if my hat were made of something other than polyester, if thats what it is and fit right without the halo thing I would probably wear it, maybe.[huh]

 

[epr25]

I'll be there next week. I'll watch for the hats! Maybe I can get a photo.