Explain Hats to Me - Troopers

[Glenn E. Meyer]

For something lighter. Various styles of clothing and accents had some utility. Epaulets held gadgets like binoculars. I don't get state trooper hats. Those are the flat brims that sit on top of your head with the little strap on the back. With absolutely no offense, they always look silly to me. There is some big tough looking guy or gal with this thing on top of their head. I also feel the same way about saved side ways with a mushroom of hair sitting on top.

Hats do shield you from things - weather, a casing, etc.

Is there some reason for this design? Should I just tell the kids to get off the lawn?

[Drang]

You mean the Montana or Campaign hat? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_hat) As a hat, it's a lot more practical than many worn today, at least the brim is wide enough to keep weather off your face, ears, and neck. Not that it's usually worn in a manner practical for that purpose.

[LSP552]

For something lighter. Various styles of clothing and accents had some utility. Epaulets held gadgets like binoculars. I don't get state trooper hats. Those are the flat brims that sit on top of your head with the little strap on the back. With absolutely no offense, they always look silly to me. There is some big tough looking guy or gal with this thing on top of their head. I also feel the same way about saved side ways with a mushroom of hair sitting on top.

Hats do shield you from things - weather, a casing, etc.

Is there some reason for this design? Should I just tell the kids to get off the lawn?

50 years of tradition untouched by progress.........

And so the public knows they are dealing with the State Police....because different.

[JBP55]

50 years of tradition untouched by progress.........

And so the public knows they are dealing with the State Police....because different.

We wore those at Baton Rouge PD more than 40 years ago and you better not be seen on a call without your Stetson Hat on.

[Crusader8207]

We wore those at Baton Rouge PD more than 40 years ago and you better not be seen on a call without your Stetson Hat on.

We wore the "milk man" hat in the summer and the furry hat with flaps in the winter, and ditto on better not get caught on a call without it. I hated those things.

[SouthNarc]

Because it makes skinny dudes look like a thumb-tack which is funny.

[KeeFus]

We have campaign hats. I hate them and rarely wear them unless its raining or I'm directing traffic for an extended period of time and I think brass may happen by. When I worked some interdiction I wore them on almost every traffic stop because, as some instructors refers to them, theyre "instant consent". Never worn stetsons or any type of milkman/bus driver hat...Im sure I wouldnt wear them either.

IMHO, theres a time and place for hats and its not on a domestic, wreck, or any other type of call.

[LSP972]

And so the public knows they are dealing with the State Police....because different.

Exactly.

Glenn, headgear is an integral part of a military or quasi-military (i.e., civilian po-lice) uniform. You said the campaign hats look silly; you don't the think the bus driver hat does too? And the ball caps becoming accepted these days make one look like an armed mechanic, IMO.

What looks silly are the dipsticks who don't wear the hat correctly. The crown should be tipped slightly forward; the farther forward, the better.

.

[SouthNarc]

If you're gonna' wear a campaign hat then you need the requisite high and tight haircut that goes with it. And you need to be fit. Fat dudes and chicks wearing campaign hats is not...authentic. Just my opinion.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

LSP972 - I think they look silly and many other hats look silly. The Russian and North Korean military hats look silly. Ball caps are only silly when they are turned around or the new ones with the think billboards and off center brims.

I don't think helmets look silly. I was wondering if that specific shape (which doesn't look secure) had some real purpose. I am not criticizing but expressing my own unique fashion sense.

A regular ballcap looks ok. Are the hats to make someone seem intimidating?

[TGS]

Most police uniforms draw their roots from surplus military uniforms given freely or heavily discounted to the departments.

Most police departments held onto this heritage.

End of story.

[LSP552]

[QUOTE=KeeFus;373954. IMHO, theres a time and place for hats and its not on a domestic, wreck, or any other type of call.[/QUOTE]

Yep, great for working in crowds, at least until they started hiring people under 6 ft.:D

[voodoo_man]

Trooper hats.

Brown rounds, as they are called around here.

We have a supervisor with a standing $100 offer for every trooper hat we bring him. He has collected a few.

[JBP55]

Trooper hats.

Brown rounds, as they are called around here.

We have a supervisor with a standing $100 offer for every trooper hat we bring him. He has collected a few.


Our Uniforms, Stetson Brand Hats and Units at one time were all Grey.

[UNK]

Campaign hats are also worn by the Drill Instructors at USMC Boot Camp and by certain Marksmanship MOS's.
They are the mark of an individual who can be a badass SOB if need be.
They are earned not given out.
Sissy boys need not apply.

[voodoo_man]

Our Uniforms, Stetson Brand Hats and Units at one time were all Grey.

I like stetsons, my pd had them at the turn of the century and then we changed over.

[MD7305]

We wear the campaign hat commonly referred to as the screwdriver as it resembles a Phillips head screw driver. Our chief is particular about the hat and it's to be worn at all times. They're big, expensive, ridiculous to do anything while wearing them and are silly. But with a hat cover on it's like having an umbrella on your head...only plus I've found.

[3-7-77]

I'm issued a campaign hat. Being a bald guy, I wear it when I'm out of the car for extended periods of time to keep the sun off me, and in the rain to keep my head dry. We're required to wear it if we're doing a TV interview. I don't mind it, I think it looks professional and has a classic Trooper look. I have worn it on stops in the past and have found, even with the dirtbaggery, a more yes sir, no sir response. I very rarely wear it in stops outside of rain because it's one more thing to hassle with when getting out of the car.

[JR1572]

We're issued the bus driver hats. I have a traffic control detail that I have to wear it on and it's not that bad.

JR1572

[BehindBlueI's]

Hats have been a BFD on our department for some reason. We aren't required to wear them, and almost nobody does if we aren't burying someone. It was some symbolic battle waged by the tiny percent of people who gave a shit to the detriment of the rest of us who really just didn't want to spend clothing allowance money on another hat we weren't going to wear.

We merged with the MCSD on Jan 1, 2007. Prior to that, IPD wore the bus driver hat and MCSD wore the campaign hat. The merged department was originally under the sheriff, and we went to a navy blue campaign hat. Then control went to the mayor because reasons, and then for some reason we went back to the bus driver's hat. I have literally never wore my bus driver's hat. I actually never bought a hat badge for it. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. I did wear my campaign hat a few times, complete with hat condom, when it rained and I made traffic stops. I also wore it for traffic details, as portable shade is better than sunburns. Oh, and baseball style hats are authorized in certain uniforms as well. I also don't own one of those.

[Hambo]

I recall an old cop who on seeing either deputies or troopers coming in the station said, "Great. The cowboys are here." Whether it was professional disdain or hat envy (eight point hats for city cops) I do not know.

In order of cool factor I put Texas Ranger Stetsons at the top of the list. All others suck in some way with with the Russki winter hat topping the suck list.

IMO ties, hats, Sam Browne belts, high boots, and Germanic uniforms are better left in the past.

[tanner]

The furry "Fargo" hats look funny, but they sure are warm. Laugh away at the flaps down look, my ears are toasty!

[BobM]

The furry "Fargo" hats look funny, but they sure are warm. Laugh away at the flaps down look, my ears are toasty!

Yes!! I will gladly wear mine when it gets really cold.

[voodoo_man]

I recall an old cop who on seeing either deputies or troopers coming in the station said, "Great. The cowboys are here." Whether it was professional disdain or hat envy (eight point hats for city cops) I do not know.

In order of cool factor I put Texas Ranger Stetsons at the top of the list. All others suck in some way with with the Russki winter hat topping the suck list.

IMO ties, hats, Sam Browne belts, high boots, and Germanic uniforms are better left in the past.

Ushanka's, are standard issue for us during sub freezing tempts. They are awsome.

[TGS]

I recall an old cop who on seeing either deputies or troopers coming in the station said, "Great. The cowboys are here." Whether it was professional disdain or hat envy (eight point hats for city cops) I do not know.

In order of cool factor I put Texas Ranger Stetsons at the top of the list. All others suck in some way with with the Russki winter hat topping the suck list.

IMO ties, hats, Sam Browne belts, high boots, and Germanic uniforms are better left in the past.

Different uniforms with different heritages have different valid purposes for different areas and/or different details.

[peterb]

I have malignant skin cancer on both sides of the family. Whenever I see an officer working traffic in the sun without a good hat I feel sorry for him/her.

Every culture that spends a lot of time in the sun has developed some sort of broad-brim hat. They exist for a reason.....

[Chuck Whitlock]

Most of these uniform traditions come from an era where every adult male in our society wore a hat and tie. I find it ironic that the suit-wearing admin types who insist on the uniformed guys wearing their hats don't themselves don a fedora or bowler when they head out. But they are above rules anyway.

[voodoo_man]

Most of these uniform traditions come from an era where every adult male in our society wore a hat and tie. I find it ironic that the suit-wearing admin types who insist on the uniformed guys wearing their hats don't themselves don a fedora or bowler when they head out. But they are above rules anyway.

Until very recently, our detectives were allowed to wear fedora's on duty. That has since been removed but many still wear them.

[BehindBlueI's]

I wear a fedora on duty. So do at least 3 others I can think of off the top of my head.. Also some newspaper boy hats.

[voodoo_man]

I wear a fedora on duty. So do at least 3 others I can think of off the top of my head.. Also some newspaper boy hats.

We call them Irishman's around here...

[orionz06]

We call them Irishman's around here...

Racist.


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[Chuck Whitlock]

Until very recently, our detectives were allowed to wear fedora's on duty. That has since been removed but many still wear them.


I wear a fedora on duty. So do at least 3 others I can think of off the top of my head.. Also some newspaper boy hats.

That is awesome. Cool points...it just shouldn't be mandatory for either uniformed/plainclothes unless on some formal detail.

[voodoo_man]

Racist.


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Who are you callin a racist? Racist!

[BehindBlueI's]

That is awesome. Cool points...it just shouldn't be mandatory for either uniformed/plainclothes unless on some formal detail.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb183/Docwagon1776/Shared/20151123_155410_zpsfcjtoeaw.jpg

Today's fedora.

[Trooper224]

50 years of tradition untouched by progress.........

And so the public knows they are dealing with the State Police....because different.

This in a nutshell.

We wear the campaign hat because of a hierarchy caught up in tradition rather than practicality. The campaign hat is typically worn by State Police and Highway Patrol agencies primarily because of our connection to the army. We fulfill duties largely left to the cavalry until the early twentieth century when most of our agencies were created, hence the campaign hat as part of our uniform. My agency is rather draconian in it's view of the hat being worn, ie. don't be caught without it on. I've lost count of the times where the balloon has gone up and the only thing the brass has been concerned about in the aftermath was that no one had their hats on. No congratulations for saving lives and catching criminals, but quite a bit of hand wringing because the hat wasn't worn. Consequently, we still wear the campaign hat, a Sam Brown Belt with a strap running up across the shoulder and lots of nice shiny reflective bits on our uniform. When everyone else in the state is going to more subdued and practical uniforms we have to dress like we're invading Poland on Monday. I will say though, if I have to wear uniform headgear I'd rather it be a campaign style than a bus driver, or god forbid a ridiculous cowboy hat. A ball cap is the most slovenly and unprofessional piece of hear gear a cop can wear in most circumstances. Then again, I think it looks sloppy with every day wear too.

[Coyotesfan97]

A ball cap is the most slovenly and unprofessional piece of hear gear a cop can wear in most circumstances. Then again, I think it looks sloppy with every day wear too.

Hey it keeps the rain off my glasses. :p. But then again I'm K9 so forget about polished boots too..

[LSP552]

Today's fedora.

OK, you win the Internets today! Very nice!

[JR1572]

A ball cap is the most slovenly and unprofessional piece of hear gear a cop can wear in most circumstances. Then again, I think it looks sloppy with every day wear too.

When I see an adult male wearing a ball cap inside I immediately think "douchebag." I'm not a hat wearer because I have a rather large head.

With that being said, we were all just issued ball caps to wear during inclement weather.

JR1572

[Chuck Whitlock]

This in a nutshell.

We wear the campaign hat because of a hierarchy caught up in tradition rather than practicality. ....... I will say though, if I have to wear uniform headgear I'd rather it be a campaign style than a bus driver, or god forbid a ridiculous cowboy hat. A ball cap is the most slovenly and unprofessional piece of hear gear a cop can wear in most circumstances. Then again, I think it looks sloppy with every day wear too.

For the sake of argument, a cowboy hat works for a Sheriff's Office in Texas.

[Malamute]

For the sake of argument, a cowboy hat works for a Sheriff's Office in Texas.

And in the mountain states of the west. Used to be relatively common for the city guys, especially during 4th parades when they were on horses doing patrol and outriding duties.

[Malamute]

I have malignant skin cancer on both sides of the family. Whenever I see an officer working traffic in the sun without a good hat I feel sorry for him/her.

Every culture that spends a lot of time in the sun has developed some sort of broad-brim hat. They exist for a reason.....

I saw a guy working traffic when a light went out. It was hotter than heck. I went to the the first convenience store up the road and bought him a cold drink and took it to him.

[Trooper224]

For the sake of argument, a cowboy hat works for a Sheriff's Office in Texas.

Well, lots of things work in Texas that have no place in the civilized world. ;)

I was one of the founding members of my agencies SWAT team. I remember the brass once had a coniption fit when they showed up after one of our first ops and learned we'd all arrived on scene in our BDU's. Apparently, we were expected to arrived in our uniforms and change on scene, so the public didn't see us looking like ninja commandos. Gotta love desk jockey mentality

[Trooper224]

Hey it keeps the rain off my glasses. :p. But then again I'm K9 so forget about polished boots too..

You probably smell like you dog most of the time, so it's a moot point really. ;) Seriously though, K9 is one area where I think a ball cap is appropriate. However, two things I've always sworn I'd never wear for normal duties are a ball cap and shorts. Back in the dark ages, when I was a teenager, I saw a cop step out of his car wearing both. I thought then it was the most full retard thing I'd ever seen. It undoubtedly scarred my psyche.

[Trooper224]

I saw a guy working traffic when a light went out. It was hotter than heck. I went to the the first convenience store up the road and bought him a cold drink and took it to him.

Soon after I transfered to the midnight shift my wife saw a news segment on skin cancer. She told me I should carry some sun block in my car. I said, "What for, moon burns?"

[Chuck Haggard]

Well, lots of things work in Texas that have no place in the civilized world. ;)

I was one of the founding members of my agencies SWAT team. I remember the brass once had a coniption fit when they showed up after one of our first ops and learned we'd all arrived on scene in our BDU's. Apparently, we were expected to arrived in our uniforms and change on scene, so the public didn't see us looking like ninja commandos. Gotta love desk jockey mentality

Having had to do just that I can tell you that the desk jockeys then get all concerned about the public seeing the SWAT guys in their underwear as they change at the scene.

Either way you are wrong, because they hate SWAT and would do away with them if they could.

[SLG]

Ken Hackathorn and Rob Haught bought me a proper Stetson as a present when I was first assigned to go Po-lice out West. It looks kinda ridiculous on me, but no joke, the locals took to it right away. We got on famously ever after, and now I have a few more variants. I still think they look silly on me, but I like them nonetheless. Sure beats my old 8 point when I was a city cop.

[BehindBlueI's]

Ken Hackathorn and Rob Haught bought me a proper Stetson as a present when I was first assigned to go Po-lice out West. It looks kinda ridiculous on me, but no joke, the locals took to it right away. We got on famously ever after, and now I have a few more variants. I still think they look silly on me, but I like them nonetheless. Sure beats my old 8 point when I was a city cop.

People respond to hats. I think Hollywood plays a role, but it's a very real phenomena. We've had a prosecutor ask detectives to wear shoulder holsters for a jury trial because jury exit polls have been more favorable to detectives that look like old school tv detectives. It sound ridiculous, and at some level it probably is, but that doesn't mean it's not real.

[Coyotesfan97]

You probably smell like you dog most of the time, so it's a moot point really. ;) Seriously though, K9 is one area where I think a ball cap is appropriate. However, two things I've always sworn I'd never wear for normal duties are a ball cap and shorts. Back in the dark ages, when I was a teenager, I saw a cop step out of his car wearing both. I thought then it was the most full retard thing I'd ever seen. It undoubtedly scarred my psyche.

Ha true there I usually am covered with dog hair. It was worse when I had a yellow lab who shed hair like Pigpen.

I've never worn shorts. I never wanted to take a chance on road rash if I fell. Plus my legs are blindingly white.



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[Coyotesfan97]

Having had to do just that I can tell you that the desk jockeys then get all concerned about the public seeing the SWAT guys in their underwear as they change at the scene.

Either way you are wrong, because they hate SWAT and would do away with them if they could.

I had to change for on duty callouts. I sat in my car with the door open. Somehow I managed without a complaint. I always thought someone would call.


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[JAD]

and shorts. .

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4612&stc=1

[voodoo_man]

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4612&stc=1

This character is essentially one of my old LT's (recently retired, 35+yr on the job) who acted exactly like this guy.

It was amazing.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Well, lots of things work in Texas that have no place in the civilized world.

I will take that as the rare and fine complement that I'm sure it was intended to be. I like my civilization with rough edges.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

This reminds me of a time at Cabelas. A guy who seemed to be a TX ranger came in to look at the gun counter. He was wearing a cowboy hat and a fancy 1911 in a fancy belt. Well, the guys around the counter acted like Bridgette Bardo ( google it, young ones) walked in naked. They flocked around him and one even bent over and stuck his nose almost into the trigger guard of the 1911.

Another time, I was taking an Insights class and we all went to a BBQ for dinner in a small TX town. So we are all sitting there in our steely eyed dealers of death vests, covering the arsenal. A local sheriff comes in with a cowboy hat, big belly (I should talk) and a big old chromed SAA Colt type in a gunslinger rig. He gave us the stink eye as he was tough. You did have to drive slow in the town as it was a ticket trap for its three block length.

[HCM]

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4612&stc=1

Far more truth in that show than you know.

[JAD]

Far more truth in that show than you know.

So I am given.

[LSP972]

...our steely eyed dealers of death vests...

AKA "shoot me first!" vests???;)

Tom Givens wears one that isn't quite so obvious; he looks like an undertaker on a busman's holiday.:cool:

.

[BigDaddy]

Talk about weird hats, did you ever see the NYSP hat? A stetson like hat with a purple band. Not a rip on the individual guys but man that hat looks stupid.

[Hambo]

I was one of the founding members of my agencies SWAT team. I remember the brass once had a coniption fit when they showed up after one of our first ops and learned we'd all arrived on scene in our BDU's. Apparently, we were expected to arrived in our uniforms and change on scene, so the public didn't see us looking like ninja commandos. Gotta love desk jockey mentality

Ours were OK with the BDUs, or as OK as they could be with anything SWAT, but only in black. Because ninja I guess.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Yeah, Givens' vest are more in WalMart chic. Sorry, Tom - if you read this.

The reason I said this is that I have a nice dressier vest from BullFrogKen from the NTI. But is a nice blue. My wife and I went to Walmart and as we were walking the aisles, some women called me and started to yell when I ignored her. Sorry, Walmart shoppers.

Now that it is getting cooler, the fleece vests work and yesterday I went out with a classy Wool vest from Woolrich. Lots of nice vests to keep you warm.

Got a nice Eddie Bauer vest with a light lining. All those don't scream shoot me, unless you want to shoot every one.

[psalms144.1]

So, no lie, I pull up to the Reserve Center where I work today, and one of the Dept of the Army civilians (NOT LE) is out front checking IDs. He's wearing a chocolate brown suit and tie with yellow dress shirt, and, wait for it... a black velvet fedora.

This guy is a retired SGM, and a really motivated good guy, just trying to do his part to make us more secure. But, DAYUM! that hat...

[SeriousStudent]

So, no lie, I pull up to the Reserve Center where I work today, and one of the Dept of the Army civilians (NOT LE) is out front checking IDs. He's wearing a chocolate brown suit and tie with yellow dress shirt, and, wait for it... a black velvet fedora.

This guy is a retired SGM, and a really motivated good guy, just trying to do his part to make us more secure. But, DAYUM! that hat...

I guess the yellow shirt makes up for the lack of reflective belt, huh?

[SLG]

Talk about weird hats, did you ever see the NYSP hat? A stetson like hat with a purple band. Not a rip on the individual guys but man that hat looks stupid.

I actually kind of like them. I had a trooper stationed with me one day, shortly after 9/11. He really wanted my beat up 8 point with cap device, and traded me a bnib hat from his patrol car. They pay for them themselves (at least back then they did), and I think they went for about $100 at the time. My hat was worth about $12 or $14 dollars, even with the cap device.

[LSP972]

Talk about weird hats, did you ever see the NYSP hat? A stetson like hat with a purple band.

Their ties are purple as well.

.