Ok, so I had first considered making this a LE-only poll in the Squad Room, but I decided to get public input as well...
Should LEO's wear "bling" on their day-to-day uniforms? By "bling" I am referring to all the shiny s**t (collar brass, whistle chains, awards, pins, metal badges, chrome/brass buttons on duty gear, etc) that mesmerize birds and police administrators. Also, remember that I'm talking about a day-to-day patrol uniform, not "Class A's" or other versions of "dress uniform."
And, to really stir things us, let's expand this into a more general uniform question...does the public really notice or care about the uniform if the officer is recognizable as a LEO? Does an old-school leather duty belt garner more respect than a nylon one? Than a load-bearing vest? Does a "classic" polyester uniform garner more respect than a polo? In short, when a member of the public is approached by an officer...whether it be as a victim, suspect, traffic stop, or general contact...does the TYPE of uniform (assuming the officer wears the given uniform in a professional manner) make a difference in how they are perceived?
Should LEO's wear "bling" on their day-to-day uniforms? By "bling" I am referring to all the shiny s**t (collar brass, whistle chains, awards, pins, metal badges, chrome/brass buttons on duty gear, etc) that mesmerize birds and police administrators. Also, remember that I'm talking about a day-to-day patrol uniform, not "Class A's" or other versions of "dress uniform."
And, to really stir things us, let's expand this into a more general uniform question...does the public really notice or care about the uniform if the officer is recognizable as a LEO? Does an old-school leather duty belt garner more respect than a nylon one? Than a load-bearing vest? Does a "classic" polyester uniform garner more respect than a polo? In short, when a member of the public is approached by an officer...whether it be as a victim, suspect, traffic stop, or general contact...does the TYPE of uniform (assuming the officer wears the given uniform in a professional manner) make a difference in how they are perceived?
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