Vintage Police Uniforms

[Astrobeej]

Now that you have the uniform, can you do a terrible fake Irish accent? Don't you know all policemen are Irish?lol

Heh. Lucky for all concerned, my Hitchcockian turn as the beat cop is in a montage sequence with no audio except some music. The audience can imagine me with any accent they want! lol

Beej

 

[Sunny]

This reminded me of the Wodehouse novel where Bertie Wooster (or one of his British friends) gets canned for insulting a police officer while he's visiting New York. He complains that the officer looked like a postman, and wonders what's wrong with a country where they don't dress their policemen in "proper helmets!"

Ha! He was just sore that he couldn't pinch the helmet! lol

In my city/county (not small, in a big metro area) I don't believe the police usually wear caps, at least when in patrol cars. Unfortunate. However, those on outside duty usually are wearing caps. In the summer (May-October ) they wear sun helmets. Year-round the mounted officers look quite imposing with their campaign hats.

The uniforms are real uniforms (no SWAT team gear), and they're still navy blue, not black.

 

[Gino's Bar]

Looks Familiar....

Say Copper - You look like someone whose been in my joint....

hhhmmmm....

 

[Astrobeej]

Say Copper - You look like someone whose been in my joint....

hhhmmmm....

Glad you finally showed up! I just knew you'd dig this party!
Beej

 

[Mindraker]

You look almost like Bill Elliot, the "Singing Cop" of WEEI, Boston.

Is it just me, or is there a more "homely" look to that uniform than the police of nowadays?

 

[Astrobeej]

Is it just me, or is there a more "homely" look to that uniform than the police of nowadays?

Homely? or Homey?

 

[carebear]

The mentality of policing has changed. In general it's much more "law enforcement" (thus order maintenance) than "public service" now.

Training now emphasizes gaining dominance with command voice and physical intimidation in situations with the idea that control = safety for the officer. I don't have a particular problem with that theory in actually dangerous situations, but many officers apply the behavior across the board, on the idea that all public interactions can go wrong. The "militarized" look and mindset arises from that, which can lead to poor interactions with non-criminal citizens which can cause added tension which can build a cycle of "us versus them" in the minds of law enforcement.

However, if we the public want change, it's up to us to insist on it from our elected leadership and appointed officials.


On a vintage note, the newspapers on the desk are very yellow. A thought popped into my head that even if we want actual vintage set dressings, for accuracy we shouldn't.

Set dressings should look new, not vintage, because the film is set in the "now". A paper with a, say, "Pearl Harbor Attacked" headline in a mid-Dec1941 set film should be clean and crisp and bright newsprint. A 1936 desk should look like it just rolled out of the factory in a film set in 1936, not like a weathered antique.

 

[carebear]

Need to add...

Yes the police uniforms of the day were also military inspired, thus the breeches, blouses and Sam Brown belts. However, they stayed that way even as the actual military moved on and thus the old "paramilitary" look of the 30's changed connotation.

Those uniforms had style and color and you could see the face of the civil servant you were dealing with, street cops weren't dressed like ninja's for day-to-day wear with dark sunglasses, high-and-tights and the same tactical hardware I carried as Marine Reconman.

Nowadays everybody wants to look, and act, from boots to Oakleys, like a SWAT guy prepping for a high-risk warrant service (because it is cool, take it from me) when they are actually out there on patrol to catch speeders and help citizens in distress, not take down tangos or kick in doors.

 

[Astrobeej]

On a vintage note, the newspapers on the desk are very yellow. A thought popped into my head that even if we want actual vintage set dressings, for accuracy we shouldn't.

Set dressings should look new, not vintage, because the film is set in the "now". A paper with a, say, "Pearl Harbor Attacked" headline in a mid-Dec1941 set film should be clean and crisp and bright newsprint. A 1936 desk should look like it just rolled out of the factory in a film set in 1936, not like a weathered antique.

Oh, absolutely. And if I had what it took to reproduce those papers in nice bright newsprint, I certainly would have. Besides, it won't be much of an issue in the black and white version!

Beej

 

[carebear]

If that came across as critical, I apologize. That they stand out so much is probably the only reason the thought about "old should look new when the setting is old" ever occured to me.

I wonder if a regular printshop could create reproductions. You'd only need the front page to be accurate looking for something that's sit on a desk. Assuming no one noticed your "old" newspaper was a different width than the usual back then. I know I wouldn't.

 

[Fatdutchman]

Police uniforms can also get creepy when they are on the opposite end of the spectrum away from the current fad of SWAT-chic. There is one State police agency...I THINK it is New Jersey...where the State Troopers really look quite NAZI-esque....papers, please.

Around here, the police and Sheriff deputies all wear the normal type police uniforms. You'll never see a hat/cap on any of them, however. Not since my childhood in the '70's (I have my grandfather's brown Sheriff deputy hat that he wore back then...when I was about 10, I turned it into my first Indiana Jones hat!!!).

 

[Story]

Police uniforms can also get creepy when they are on the opposite end of the spectrum away from the current fad of SWAT-chic. There is one State police agency...I THINK it is New Jersey...where the State Troopers really look quite NAZI-esque....papers, please..

*Ahem* For the most part, they wear Class B uniforms these days.
That *Nazi* look was actually the vogue for the Cavalry (on which the NJSP was based) when Colonel Schwarzkopf stood them up in 1921.

http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/about/20s.html

[Talk about clashing] That original uniform consisted of a Stetson hat, brown boots, olive britches, gray shirt, Jersey blue tie, navy wool blouse and Sam Browne belt and holster. [/Talk about clashing] The change to a peaked cap and the blue/yellow colors came in the 1930s, IIRC.

 

[Fletch]

The uniform for the summer [1935-'40] was khaki jodhpur breeches and blouses, knee-high black boots, black ties, black gun belts and khaki visored caps. Patrolman carried a Colt 38 Special with a four inch barrel. For winter, the men were issued wool, olive drab uniforms and heavy overcoats.

They drove black Ford Tudors and Indian motorcycles, BTW.

The ISP was a newly assembled force in the mid 30s and gives an indication of the appearance desired for a "Highway Safety Patrol" back in the day.

 

[Fletch]

Ohio Highway Patrol

Trooper in trouser uniform with Chevy patrol car, 1934.

Trooper in breech (motorcycle?) uniform, 1940.

Sergeant at radio desk, 1930s.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Boy, this thread is ancient. How about some more pictures of vintage police uniforms!

A City of New York policeman in the 1860s:

An N.Y.P.D Motor Patrol Sergeant, in 1938:

An add for the N.Y.P.D.'s uniform supplier:

The rarely seen, and very unpopular N.Y.P.D summer uniform from the 1970s . . .

 

[Guttersnipe]

A Chicago police sergeant, in 1909:

A very rotund Chicago policemen from the 20s or 30s, I think:

 

[Guttersnipe]

And my personal favorite; the S.F.P.D. on parade, in 1932:

 

[Guttersnipe]

Detroit motorcycle cops in the 1930s:

I love the bow ties!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Miami policemen in 1940:

 

[Doctor Damage]

The mentality of policing has changed. In general it's much more "law enforcement" (thus order maintenance) than "public service" now.

Training now emphasizes gaining dominance with command voice and physical intimidation in situations with the idea that control = safety for the officer. I don't have a particular problem with that theory in actually dangerous situations, but many officers apply the behavior across the board, on the idea that all public interactions can go wrong. The "militarized" look and mindset arises from that, which can lead to poor interactions with non-criminal citizens which can cause added tension which can build a cycle of "us versus them" in the minds of law enforcement.

However, if we the public want change, it's up to us to insist on it from our elected leadership and appointed officials.

...

Need to add...

Yes the police uniforms of the day were also military inspired, thus the breeches, blouses and Sam Brown belts. However, they stayed that way even as the actual military moved on and thus the old "paramilitary" look of the 30's changed connotation.

Those uniforms had style and color and you could see the face of the civil servant you were dealing with, street cops weren't dressed like ninja's for day-to-day wear with dark sunglasses, high-and-tights and the same tactical hardware I carried as Marine Reconman.

Nowadays everybody wants to look, and act, from boots to Oakleys, like a SWAT guy prepping for a high-risk warrant service (because it is cool, take it from me) when they are actually out there on patrol to catch speeders and help citizens in distress, not take down tangos or kick in doors.

When I was growing up we were taught as kids that the police were there to help you if you had a problem. Now, even as a law-abiding adult, I avoid them. I just don't feel comfortable dealing with people who project aggression, although I found last year with a couple of OPP highway patrolmen that if you call them by their rank (sergeant, constable, never "officer") and address them in a business-like tone and keep the conversation focused on the matter at hand, then they don't get as pushy. I even did a civilian salute to the younger one and he stopped himself from saluting back, LOL But criticisms aside, yes I know they have an important role to play in society, etc etc, which I accept.

As for uniforms, the local police here in Ontario seem to be dressed the most traditionally (barely), while the OPP and RCMP are totally into the paramilitary pajamas look. That being said, in the winter, when they're freezing their butts off, the OPP do wear hats which is nice. I supposed non-Canadians must be amused by the RCMP's Stetsons and red jackets, but those are for parades only (although until the 1970s they wore peaked caps and a brown version of the red jackets). Even on Parliament Hill they wear the pajamas.